


Escape to Camelot

by SkyFireForever



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - BDSM, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Prostitution, BDSM, Bottom Merlin (Merlin), F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Friendship, Kinda, M/M, Multi, Polyamory Negotiations, Prostitution, Slow Burn, Switch Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Top Arthur, Top Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:14:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 53,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26017846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyFireForever/pseuds/SkyFireForever
Summary: Arthur Pendragon knows it’s a terrible idea to visit an escort service/fetish club. He does it anyway.
Relationships: Gwaine/Merlin (Merlin), Gwen/Lancelot (Merlin), Gwen/Morgana (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 26
Kudos: 69





	1. A Terrible Idea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is heavily inspired by Room Number Seven by RubiesareforHunting and you should definitely read that! It's probably much better than this will be! But I hope you enjoy this fic nonetheless!

Arthur Pendragon knew that this was a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad idea. 

He knew it before he even stepped foot in the establishment. 

This hadn’t been his idea. No, he would have never dreamed of coming to such a place on his own. It had been his sister’s idea, as much as the thought disgusted him. Apparently his sister’s sister (no, his sister’s sister  _ wasn’t _ his sister because of half-siblings) worked in the establishment and Morgana was a frequent customer (not to see her sister, obviously, but to see other employees). 

Morgana had insisted that Arthur needed to get out of his own head and she’d been adamant that in order to do that, he must get laid. 

Which brought him here: To Camelot. An escort service skewed towards clients with a bit more of an extreme taste than what Arthur was used to. A taste in BDSM, to be more specific. 

Arthur swallowed and stared at the building. It was fairly discrete, nothing advertising what it was. Once he stepped inside, however, that was a whole different story. 

There were people dressed in various types of clothing, some more revealing than others. Everyone seemed to be showing at least some skin. Everyone except for Arthur. 

Arthur had arrived wearing little less than his full suit from his day at the office. He looked like the uppity businessman that he was. As he looked around, he realized even more things that stood out to him. 

There were poles and a stage and people dancing. It appeared to be little more than a strip club, but with some more extreme demonstrations going on as well. People were being tied up, spanked, and all manner of other things in different corners. Arthur shuddered despite how warm he felt. 

He made his way up to the front desk, drumming his fingers against the counter and flashing the receptionist a charming smile. He wasn’t sure what his next step should be. Did he ask for a room? Did he request a specific person? Morgana hadn’t taught him how to do this properly and he’d been too embarrassed to ask. In fact, Arthur had told her that he refused the idea outright. 

“Hello, there.” He greeted. “I was wondering,” but he didn’t know how to finish that sentence. He was wondering what? How could he possibly explain his situation to someone he didn’t even know? He should just leave, should turn tail and never come back. 

The receptionist just smiled at him. “Wondering what?” She asked politely, appearing calm and patient. 

Arthur ran a hand through his hair, debating with himself on what to say. “I would like a, uh, a,” he cut himself off, struggling to find the words. “That is to say,” he tried again, without much success. “How much is a room? With a person in it, preferably?” It sounded lame, even to his own ears, but he was trying his best.

The woman smiled. “You’d like to be trying our escort services?” She suggested. 

“Yes, that.” Arthur felt relieved, not knowing what he would have done if the woman had been confused by his meaning. 

“Alright.” The woman continued smiling an over-the-top smile that receptionists often had. It was a bit unnerving. She typed something into her computer. “Are you a frequent client of ours?” She asked in a sickly sweet tone. 

“Oh, uh, no. This is my first time here.” 

“Very well, then. Have you completed the background checks required? Are you already in our system?” 

“I should be. I submitted everything online.” Arthur admitted almost shyly, which was ridiculous. Arthur Pendragon was  _ not _ a shy person. 

“Alright. Can I have a name?” 

“Arthur Pendragon.”

The woman typed something into her computer. “Can I have some form of ID?” Arthur handed over his driver’s license. “Perfect, thank you.” Arthur nodded. “What nickname should I put for you? It can be anything. I just assume you won’t be wanting to use your real name.” 

“Oh, uh,” Arthur considered. “William.” He decided. 

She looked over it before handing it back and making a few more notes on her computer. “Now, I assume you don’t have a specific escort in mind?” 

Arthur shook his head. “I don’t.” He confirmed. “Just not Morgause le Fey.” He corrected. The last thing he wanted was to see his sister’s sister here. That would be awkward.

The receptionist nodded. “Very well. Are you looking for a male or female escort for tonight?” 

“Female.” Arthur replied without even thinking too much about it. Blame it on compulsive heterosexuality if you must, but Arthur wasn’t one to readily admit his attraction to men. His father had scared that right out of him. 

“Very well.” The receptionist smiled. “Are you looking for someone to dom or sub for you tonight?” 

Arthur stared blankly, not expecting this question at all. He should have seen it coming. He should have. But he didn’t. He was caught so completely off guard that it must have taken him a full minute to recover enough to answer. “Oh, uh, sub.” He said, though he wasn’t quite sure. 

“Perfect. Any special requests?” 

“No, thank you.” 

The receptionist’s smile widened and she punched a few more things into the computer. “And will you be paying for half a night or a full night?” 

“Uh, a full.” If Arthur was going to do this, he might as well do this all the way. 

She had Arthur pay and then handed him a key card. “This is to room three. Enjoy your night.” 

“Yeah. Thank you.” He stared at the key card in his hand, having second thoughts despite having already paid. He sighed and made his way towards the door with a huge number three on it. He hesitated outside of it, trying to hype himself up. He could do this. It was just sex. 

He took a breath and swiped the key card, causing the door to unlock. He pushed it open and a woman stood inside dressed in a lacy, black bustier with matching pair of panties. She looked up, her brown eyes meeting his blue ones. She rose off of the bed and set her phone down on the end-table. Her brown curls fell around her head as she smiled at him. “Come in.” She crooked her finger and made a come hither motion. 

Arthur felt drawn to obey. He closed the door behind him, standing and staring at her, taking in the sight of her brown skin and the way the dark lingerie complimented her. She was beautiful, truly. 

So why didn’t he feel any excitement? Why did dread start pooling in his stomach? 

“You can call me Rose.” The woman introduced herself. “And what might I call you?” 

“Ar-” He stopped himself. “William.” He corrected himself. 

“William.” Rose smiled. “And shall I be subbing or domming for you today?”

“Subbing.” Arthur was surprised by how normal this all felt. He didn’t feel as awkward as he was expecting to at all. 

“Very good.” Rose hummed. “My limits are no urine, scat, blood, knives, choking, breathplay, raceplay, vomit, and petplay.” She listed them off precisely and clearly. “My safewords are green for good slash keep going, yellow for slow down or I need a break, red for ending the scene altogether. If I’m unable to talk, one tap will be for green, two for yellow, three for red. Understood?” 

Arthur nodded quickly, though he had questions. He had no idea what breathplay, raceplay, or petplay were, but he’d keep that to himself. 

“Now, what are your limits?” 

“Oh, uh, I dunno.” He admitted. “I’ve never actually done this before.” He felt ashamed and embarrassed, but to his surprise, Rose didn’t laugh at him. 

“Alright. We’ll take it easy tonight, then.” Rose smiled kindly. “Do you have safewords or does my system work for you?” 

“Your system should work.” 

“Perfect.” She stretched a bit. “And how would you like me to refer to you during tonight? William? Sir? Master?” 

Arthur stared. “Just William is fine.” He said dismissively. 

“Very well.” She knelt in front of him, dark eyes peering up at him. “I’m all yours.” 

Arthur stood in front of her, unsure of what to do. He slowly began undressing, starting with his tie. He managed to get the top half of his clothes off before looking down at Rose. He swallowed, realizing that he wasn’t even a little bit hard. How could he explain that to her? How could he explain that women just didn’t do it for him? 

He panicked just before removing his pants, shaking his head and stepping away. “I’m sorry.” He breathed, feeling his heart beat heavily in his chest. “I can’t do this.” 

Rose frowned, looking at him curiously. “What do you mean?” She asked patiently. 

“I- uh,” He struggled to find the right words. “I made a mistake.” He tried to explain. “I’m not- women don’t- I can’t-” There was fear in his eyes, but he didn’t seem to need to say more.

Rose rose to her feet. “It’s alright.” She assured him. “I’m not offended. If women aren’t what arouses you, then I’m not going to be the first.” She offered him a kind, patient smile. “How about you get dressed to your comfort level and I’ll help find you a new escort, okay?” her words were surprisingly free of any condescension. 

“Y-Yeah.” Arthur nodded. “Okay.” He redressed himself, Rose waiting patiently for him to finish. She led him to the front desk. 

“There’s been a mix-up.” Rose told the woman at the receptionist. “My client prefers men.” She explained calmly and clearly. “If you could note that in his file, please.” She watched as the receptionist did as she was told. “And even though he paid for my room, I’d like all of that money to be transferred to whoever’s room he chooses.” She looked at Arthur. “And, if he’s okay with it, I’d like to make a suggestion as to whose room he should have.” 

Arthur nodded quickly. “Please, be my guest. Suggest away.” 

Rose beamed. “If he’s free, please send him to Magic’s room tonight.” 

Arthur blinked. “Who’s Magic?” 

“Oh, you’ll see.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, no smut in chapter one. It's coming, I promise. 
> 
> And Rose is, in fact, Gwen in case anyone was unclear about that. Please leave comments! They get me writing faster!!


	2. Magic

Once they sorted everything out, Arthur was given a new key card, this time to room number twelve. A man’s room. Rose had patted him on the back, assured him that there was no judgement here, and had sent him on his way. 

Arthur didn’t have a clue what he was doing. He’d only been with a man a couple of times, most of them in high school and the rest of them in college. It had been years since he’d last allowed himself to truly enjoy himself during sex, as sad as that sounded. 

He took a breath and swiped the key card, pushing open the door. The sight he found took his breath away. 

A young man sat on the bed, scrolling through his phone, just as Rose had been doing when Arthur had entered her room. Only this time, it was different. 

The man wasn’t wearing anything overtly revealing or sexualized as Rose had. No, he was simply in a pair of sweatpants and was wearing no shirt. But the sight of him had Arthur stunned. 

He was beautiful, remarkably so, with pale skin and dark hair. His body was almost hairless as well, barely any hair on his chest or arms. Arthur had the distant curiosity of if the man waxed himself. 

The man looked up, piercing blue eyes staring at Arthur. Even his eyes were beautiful. He was by far one of the most attractive men that Arthur had ever seen, and he had seen plenty of attractive men in his time. 

“Hey.” The man greeted casually. “I’m Magic.” He introduced. 

“Bold claim.” Arthur said without thinking, wincing internally as soon as the words had run away from his lips. “I’ll expect you to prove it.” 

Magic was caught off guard for a moment before laughing. “Oh, I intend to.” He winked at him. “And who are you, then?” 

“William.” Arthur said without messing it up this time. “Just William.” 

Something flickered across Magic’s face, but it was replaced with a smirk a moment later. “Well, William. Welcome. I’m told this is your first time.” 

Arthur’s face burned. “Who told you that, then?” 

“Does it matter? It’s true, isn’t it?” Arthur assumed that either Rose or the woman at the front desk had told him. It was the only explanation. Arthur nodded his head. “Brilliant. We’ll start small, then. I’ll go easy on you.” Magic grinned an easy grin, crossing his arms over his chest. “Just know that you’re in charge. Whatever you say goes unless I safeword.” He told him seriously, though the grin never left his face.

Arthur nodded. “Right.” 

“So, my limits are no urine, scat, petplay, or vomit.” Arthur immediately noticed that Magic had considerably less limits than Rose. “My safewords are green for keep going, yellow for slow down or I need a break, red for stop.” He went on. “If I can’t speak, one finger held up is green, two for yellow, three for red. Unless you have another system?” He looked imploringly at Arthur, as if expecting him to speak up. 

Arthur shook his head. “Your system works.” He assured him. 

“Good.” Magic grinned at him. “And what shall I be referring to you as?” 

Arthur hesitated. “Sir.” He decided, going right on in and plunging off the deep end. If he was going to do this, he might as well go all in. 

“Yes, sir.” Magic suddenly dropped to his knees in front of Arthur, peering up at him with those beautiful blue eyes. “I’m all yours, sir.” 

Arthur’s breath caught in his throat and he was totally unsure of how to proceed. He just stared at Magic for a long moment before reaching out a hand to run through his dark hair. Magic leaned into the touch, pressing his head against Arthur’s hand. 

“You like being touched, don’t you?” Arthur hummed. “You enjoy it.” 

“Last I checked, I was here to be touched.” Magic said snarkily. “Or to beg to be touched. Whatever floats your boat.” 

Arthur frowned. “Are you usually this snarky when you’re trying to get fucked?” 

Magic laughed. “I learned that some people like being talked back to.” 

“And how do you know I’m one of those people?”

“It’s just an energy you give off. I bet you’re a Leo too.” He smirked as he looked up at him. 

Arthur almost opened his mouth to declare Magic to be incorrect. Arthur was a Taurus. But then he realized that it was none of Magic’s business. His lips curved into a frown and he suddenly yanked on Magic’s hair, earning a sharp gasp from the young man. 

“Oh, that’s more like it.” Magic purred, clearly enjoying the rough treatment. 

Arthur was surprised and felt as though he should be disgusted. “You like that, don’t you?” He asked, genuine curiosity seeping into his voice. “You like being hurt.” That second bit wasn’t a question. Why would someone enjoy pain? Enjoy being hurt? It didn’t make any sense, but the thought was interesting. 

“You sound surprised.” Magic peered up at him, those blue eyes looking into him. “Why? This is a fetish club. Most people here get off on the giving or receiving of pain.” He pointed out. 

Arthur quickly recovered. “How much pain do you like?” He asked, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice.

“If you’re asking if you can hit me, then be my guest.” Magic smirked. “I’m absolutely green for any hitting so long as you don’t break anything.” He said seriously. “If you’re not okay with that, that’s okay too. But just know that I wouldn’t say no.” There was a gentle honesty to Magic’s words. It reminded Arthur of Rose, which was ridiculous, as he’d only met her for a total of five minutes and already felt as though he liked her. 

Arthur hesitated, unable to bring himself to strike another person, even if he was insisting that he wanted it. He shook his head. “I- Can’t. Not this time.” 

“This time?” Magic’s eyes lit up. “So you’re saying there will be a next time?” 

“Oh, shut up.” Arthur rolled his eyes at the man, feeling annoyed yet charmed by him. 

“Make me.” 

Arthur tugged on Magic’s hair again, harder this time. Magic restrained himself from gasping this time, biting down on his lip. His gaze held a challenge in them, as if daring Arthur to try harder than that. 

A fire burned in Arthur’s stomach, a demand to meet that challenge. His eyes went cold, harsh. If Magic wanted to play this game, then Arthur would play. “You’re supposed to be my sub for the night, aren’t you?” He was met with a nod. “Then you’re  _ mine _ . You have to do whatever I say.” 

Magic snorted. “Is that what you learned a sub was? You think we’re all meek little submissives who would do anything without question for our masters or daddies?” He batted his long eyelashes. “You’ve never heard of a brat before, have you?” 

Arthur was at a loss for words. He’d heard of a brat, of course, but never in terms of sex. It seemed like he had a lot to learn. “I expect you to listen to me. You’re mine for the night and I will use you as I see fit.” He was surprised by how naturally the words came out. 

Magic smirked. “Yes,  _ sir _ .” He managed to say the word  _ sir _ as if it meant  _ idiot _ . Arthur was not pleased. 

He yanked his head back by the hair and quickly unbuttoned and unzipped the front of his pants. He pushed his pants down to his knees, his hand never abandoning Magic’s hair. He pushed his boxers down and freed his cock, already half hard just from this banter. It was almost embarrassing. 

Magic licked his lips, his eyes fixated on Arthur’s cock. Arthur smirked, feeling a bit proud. 

“Suck.” He demanded and Magic got to work immediately. He surged forward, wrapping his lips around Arthur’s head at first. He put his tongue to good use, licking and tonguing at Arthur’s slit. Arthur couldn’t bite back a moan. Magic clearly had experience and knew what he was doing, better than Arthur at any rate. 

Arthur threw his head back and allowed Magic to do his work, which he did beautifully. He took Arthur down bit by bit, slowly moving to take more and more of him into his throat. He didn’t gag once, which Arthur thought was incredible. 

Soon, his nose was pressing against Arthur’s pubic hairs as he began bobbing his head. He sucked and licked and Arthur could feel the pressure building. He gripped Magic’s hair and looked down at him. “C-Can I fuck your mouth?” He asked almost nervously. 

Magic moaned enthusiastically around him and held up one finger. Green, Arthur remembered. Magic relaxed, let himself go pliant as Arthur took him by the air and began shallowly thrusting his hips. He went easy at first, expecting Magic to splutter or struggle, but he didn’t at all. In fact, his tongue kept darting out to lick at Arthur every opportunity he could. 

Arthur set a fairly brutal pace, fucking into the wet heat of Magic’s mouth, chasing his release. Magic only gagged a few times, taking his face-fucking expertly. Arthur was amazed. Arthur was fairly silent, making no noises besides the occasional grunt or moan. Until the end. “I’m gonna- gonna-” He continued fucking Magic’s face before thrusting in deep, causing the man to gag as he spilled down his throat. 

He panted, pulling his softening cock free from Magic’s lips. Magic looked up at him, appearing rather pleased with himself. Arthur wanted to wipe that smug look off of his face.

“Thank you, sir.” Magic said, his voice hoarse. Arthur was surprised by the phrase. 

“Uh, you’re welcome.” Arthur said awkwardly, uncertain of how to respond. As soon as it came from his lips, he knew that it was the wrong thing to say judging by the laughter that Magic was clearly attempting to hold back. Arthur pulled his pants back up and looked down at Magic. “What about you?” 

“What about me?” 

“Do you need,” He hesitated. “Help?” 

Magic blinked at him. “Tonight’s not about my pleasure.” 

“No, but do you want to get off?” Arthur asked.

“Does it matter?” 

“Just answer the damn question.” Arthur huffed out, feeling quite annoyed. 

Magic shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind an orgasm.” 

“Alright. Then strip.” Arthur commanded, his tone calm and cool. He’d spent his whole life giving out orders to people below him. 

Magic quickly did as he was told, rising to his feet to do so. He slipped out of his pants and boxers, throwing them to the side before kneeling again. 

Arthur spit into his hand before leaning down and wrapping it around Magic’s cock. The dark-haired man gasped and let out a breathy moan. The angle was awkward and Arthur couldn’t imagine that it was the best handjob in the world, but it got the job done. 

Arthur stroked Magic slowly, squeezing and releasing. He twisted his wrist at the end, trying to do what he knew he liked. It couldn’t have been perfect, but soon Magic was shuddering in his arms, twitching and swallowing down moans. 

“I’m close.” Magic said suddenly. “Please let me come, sir. Please.” He started begging.

Arthur’s eyes widened, not expecting to be asked for permission. He nodded slowly. “You can come.” He assured him and no sooner had the words left his mouth than Magic was spilling into his hand. 

Magic shuddered and slumped against Arthur, breathing heavily. “Thank you, sir.” He murmured before sitting upright again. He rose to his feet. “Would you like me to clean off or do you want me like this for the rest of the night?” He asked casually, making his way to a minifridge and opening it, receiving a water bottle from within it. 

“Huh?” 

“Do you want to see me painted with your jizz for longer or would you like me to clean off?” Magic asked again.

“Oh, you can clean up.” Arthur said. Magic tossed him a napkin for his hand, which Arthur gladly accepted. 

“Do you want to rest before another scene?” Magic questioned. 

“Another what?” 

Magic rolled his eyes. “You really are a newbie, aren’t you?” It was condescending and it stung Arthur’s pride. “A scene. Like. Before we engage with one another again.” 

“Oh. Oh!” Arthur’s cheeks heated up. “You want to-  _ Again _ ?” 

“You have me booked for the rest of the night.” Magic pointed out. “I assumed that you wouldn’t use me for fifteen minutes if you bought the whole night.” 

“Oh, well,” Truth be told, Arthur was worn out. “What else do you want to do?” 

Magic laughed. “Oh, you’re going to be fun.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Please give me feedback in the comments! I love hearing what you have to say!


	3. Lancelot Meets Guinevere

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Perspective shift, yay!

Lancelot wasn’t interested in BDSM. He wasn’t the type of person to just say that and really have some secret lust for it. No, he’d just never learned much about it and never felt like he needed to learn much about it. Regular, vanilla sex was fine by him. 

Not that he’d had a lot of experience with vanilla sex either. He hadn’t had that many partners in his life. Just two, as a matter of fact. One man in college who took Lancelot’s virginity, and then his best friend, Merlin. 

Lancelot and Merlin’s relationship was never romantic. Lancelot had simply mentioned offhand one day about how sexually frustrated he was and Merlin had agreed to help him. There had been nothing more to it. 

Now, Merlin was into BDSM. Very into BDSM. To the point where he went to clubs and attended classes and let people pay him for sex. Lancelot wasn’t sure how he felt about that last bit, but it wasn’t his place to judge. It was Merlin’s life, not his. 

But Merlin was proud of his work, even if he didn’t talk about it much with Lancelot. He was proud of what he did and he was happy that Lancelot supported him. Which is why Lancelot was the person he came to when a new opportunity had landed in his lap. 

“So, my friend is teaching this class on rope bondage.” Merlin announced one day when the two of them were just lounging on the couch. “And she needed someone to demonstrate on.” 

“Oh.” Lancelot said lamely. “That’s cool.” He knew from his conversations what rope bondage was, but he didn’t know much about it. He had no clue why Merlin was telling him this. 

“I volunteered.” Merlin explained. “For her to demonstrate on me.” 

“Oh.” He looked at him. “What does that mean exactly?” 

“It means she’s going to tie me up.” 

That piqued Lancelot’s interest. “Oh, that sounds,” He paused. “Fun?”

“It does sound fun!” Merlin said gleefully. “I’m excited. I’ve never helped anyone teach a class before.” 

“Oh.” Lancelot seemed to be saying  _ oh  _ a lot. “Congratulations.” 

Merlin laughed. “Thanks.” He shifted. “Actually, I was wondering if you’d like to come to the class.” 

“Huh?” Lancelot blinked at him in surprise. “Why would I go to a BDSM class? You know I’m not exactly interested in that.” 

“No, I know.” Merlin shrugged. “I thought you could come just to support me. I get anxious when in front of other people.” 

“Don’t you have sex with groups of people?”

“Yeah, but that’s different.” He insisted. “Sex is different. This is a teaching moment. People in there aren’t going to be horny. Sure, some of them will be, but not everyone.” 

Lancelot considered. “Okay.” He agreed. “Why not?” 

“Really?” Merlin lit up. “You’re the best!” He wrapped his arms around him in a hug. 

And that was how Lancelot ended up in a BDSM club on a weekday in broad daylight to attend a class on rope bondage. He wasn’t into BDSM. He was just helping a friend. 

He stood in the back of the room, hoping not to talk to many people. It wasn’t that he judged them for being here, it was more that he was afraid that they would judge him for being here for a friend rather than a kink. 

Eventually the door opened and Merlin stepped into the room, carrying a box of rope. Lancelot smiled at him, but he couldn’t be sure if he saw him. Soon after, a woman entered the room. Lancelot was immediately struck. She was the most beautiful woman Lancelot had ever seen. 

She had beautiful brown hair that was tied up in a messy bun. She was wearing casual clothes, which surprised him for some reason. She was dressed so casually to be talking about something so intimate. 

She began the class with a few jokes that Lancelot wouldn’t be able to recall later. She then dove straight in. She started by talking about the different types of rope one could buy to be used with bondage. She then continued, teaching a few simple knots, such as the overhead knot, square knot, lark’s head and somerville bowline. She then moved on to basic ties. 

She used Merlin for this part, having him outstretch his arms so she could bind them together. The two of them joked and quipped the entire time, clearly working well off of one another. 

Lancelot had the distant curiosity of if Merlin and his friend had slept together in the past. For some reason, he hoped not. 

He watched as the woman tied Merlin up in various ways. She tied his hands, his feet, his chest, every which way. It was absolutely incredible to watch. While watching, Lancelot gained a new appreciation for how tying could be such a beautiful thing. 

The woman was skilled. Expertly skilled. She’d clearly had lots of practice and knew what she was doing. She bantered with Merlin and cast looks at the audience, all while still perfectly maneuvering the ropes around Merlin. 

When the class ended, Lancelot found himself wanting to clap. He’d just witnessed the most beautiful woman do the most beautiful things with rope. He caught up to Merlin afterwards, placing a hand on his arm. 

“Merlin, who was the woman you were with?” 

“What, you mean Gwen?” 

“Gwen.” Lancelot’s voice was distant and dreamy. “She’s very talented.” 

“Oh, yeah. She’s great at what she does.” Merlin agreed. He noticed the look on Lancelot’s face and chuckled. “You know, she works at Camelot with me.” He told him. “If you want to spend the night with her.”

Lancelot’s face heated up. “No, I couldn’t- I shouldn’t- That’s taking advantage!” 

“It’s her job.” Merlin shook his head. “She’d be happy to serve you. Or have you serve her.” He shrugged. “Either way.”

Lancelot looked horrified, as if his best friend wasn’t a prostitute himself. “I couldn’t-”

“She goes by Rose.” Merlin added helpfully. “Just think about it.” 

"Merlin, I can't." 

"She might even tie you up if you ask nicely."

Lancelot's objections died on his lips. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave notes and comments! They really do make me write faster!


	4. The Next Time

Arthur didn’t know what he was doing back at Camelot. He really didn’t. Sure, he’d had fun the last time he had been there, but he’d wasted a lot of money on a full night when he’d only actually spent about an hour and a half with the person whose time he bought. 

Magic had laughed at him for thinking that their time was up after a single blowjob and Arthur couldn’t really blame him. It was pretty ridiculous to pay for several hours only to spend a few minutes of that time. 

However, Magic had been surprisingly kind about the whole situation, presumably taking pity on Arthur since it was his first time. They’d spent a great deal of time just sitting around and talking. Magic had asked about Arthur’s kinks, to which Arthur had admitted that he didn’t know what they were. Magic had asked if Arthur was a top or a switch, to which Arthur had firmly replied that he was a top. He’d never bottomed before in his life and he had no intention of doing so.

Magic had seemed skeptical about Arthur’s answer for some reason, insisting that Arthur gave off  _ switch energy _ , whatever that meant. Magic had insisted that just because Arthur hadn’t tried it before didn’t mean that he wouldn’t like it. Arthur had just shaken his head. 

Instead of talking about Arthur’s kinks, they had talked about Magic’s kinks, of which there were a numerous amount. Arthur had listened with rapt attention. Magic apparently enjoyed being marked, liked seeing bite marks and bruises the next day and for as long as they would last. 

He enjoyed being restrained, gagged, and tied up. He enjoyed being completely at someone’s mercy. He enjoyed sensation play, including temperature play especially. 

Apparently one of his biggest kinks was group sex. He liked the idea of being used by multiple people at once. He liked the thought of being passed around like nothing more than a toy. 

He appreciated both praise and degradation, but admitted that he probably learned more towards praise. He loved being hit, slapped, spanked, and all manner of such things. 

Arthur had listened with a mixture of horror and awe. Magic was so open about what turned him on, about what got his gears going. He had no shame in it, no shame at all. He even seemed proud of what he did. As Arthur had listened to all the things Magic had described, he pictured Magic in those positions, imagined himself doing those things to him. He had begun to feel his cock filling out again. 

Magic had noticed, a smirk resting on his face. “Need help with that?” He had gestured vaguely. 

“Need help with what?” Arthur had asked lamely, embarrassed despite the subject matter they’d been speaking of. 

Magic had laughed and had simply crawled across the bed towards him. “There’s no need to be ashamed. That’s what I’m here for.” He had smiled warmly and genuinely and Arthur had felt all his nerves slip away. 

After another amazing blowjob, Arthur had decided to call it quits for the night. He had cleaned himself up, asked if Magic wanted another handjob, and when Magic had seemed passive about the offer, Arthur had left. 

But now he was back. He stood in front of the doors, fidgeting with something in his pocket. He couldn’t believe that he had come back here. It was dangerous, especially for him. His father was a member of parliament and was up for reelection next year, plus Arthur ran a very wealthy business. 

However, Morgana was in a similar situation and she’d apparently been visiting this place for ages without anyone finding out. 

Arthur took a breath and stepped inside, taking in the sight of everything once again. He peered around, looking for any sign of Magic. He saw none. He walked up to the front desk and smiled. 

“Does someone by the name of Magic happen to be working tonight?” He asked, not knowing why he was looking for that one man in particular. There were plenty of other men who could service him, but Arthur wasn’t interested in them. Perhaps he just wanted a sense of familiarity in a place like this. Who could blame him? 

The receptionist, a man this time, looked down at Arthur, a gruff expression on his face. “He is, but he’s busy.” He told him. “He’s with another client.” 

“Oh.” Arthur deflated. “I see.” 

“I’d be happy to set you up with another one of our escorts.” He said, not sounding happy at all.

“No. No, that’s okay.” Arthur shook his head. “I’ll just go.” He said glumly, not knowing why he was so bummed about this. Magic was just some prostitute that he barely knew. He knew his kinks and that was it. He didn’t even know his real name. 

But Arthur had wanted to see him, had wanted to try something new out with him. He’d wanted to explore his kinks with him. Arthur was beginning to realize just how foolish that was. He turned to leave the place when a familiar voice called out behind him. 

“William?” Arthur turned to see no one but Magic himself standing before him, dressed in casual pants, still wearing no shirt. He looked almost exactly like how Arthur had last seen him, only with fresh bruises blossoming against his skin. He was still as beautiful as Arthur had last seen him. 

“Magic.” Arthur wiped his sweaty palms on his pants. 

“Of course it was you. Who else wears a business suit to these places?” Magic rolled his eyes, but his lips quirked upwards into a smile. “So, you’re back for another round, hm?” 

“Well, I was.” Arthur began. “But I heard you were busy, so.” He trailed off. 

Magic looked surprised. “You came here just for me?” He quickly steeled himself. “I’m flattered. But no, I’m not busy. My last client didn’t work out.” He explained. “So, if you want me, I’m all yours.” He smirked. 

“I do!” Arthur said, probably too quickly. “I mean, I’d like to spend another night with you.” 

“Alright.” Magic grinned. “Maybe don’t pay for a full night if you don’t plan on using it, though?” He suggested. 

Arthur paid for half a night.

Magic led Arthur back to room number twelve, not even looking back at him until they were in the room. “You remember my limits and safewords?” 

Arthur nodded quickly. “No urine, scat, vomit, or,” He struggled to remember the last one, remembering only that he hadn’t been aware of what it meant.

“Petplay.” Magic finished for him. 

“Right.” Arthur shifted a bit. “What exactly is petplay?” He asked after a moment’s hesitation. “Just so I don’t overstep.” 

Magic laughed. “You really are a newbie, aren’t you?” It almost sounded fond. “Don’t worry. I don’t think you can accidentally stumble into petplay.” He assured him. “It’s when one of your partners behaves like an animal. Like a pet.” He explained. 

“Oh.” Arthur wrinkled his nose. “Why would anyone want to pretend they’re sleeping with an animal?” 

Magic shrugged. “Hey, don’t kinkshame. I don’t have anything against people who do that sort of thing. It’s just not for me.” 

Arthur nodded. “Fair enough.” 

Magic nodded. “And my safewords?” 

“Green for keep going, yellow for a break or slow down, red for stop.” Arthur said dutifully. “And if you can’t speak, one finger for green, two for yellow, three for red.” 

“Yup.” Magic popped the P. “And I assume you still want me to address you as sir?” 

Arthur nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I like that.” For some reason he felt his face heat up. He didn’t know why he was so embarrassed. Magic had admitted much more extreme kinks to him. 

“Perfect.” Magic slid to his knees. “I’m all yours, sir.” 

Arthur exhaled through his nose, thinking about the best way to bring this next idea up. He shoved his hand into his pocket and fiddled with the object he had hidden there. “Stand up.” he commanded and he was surprised by how willingly Magic obeyed. “I want to try something new. If that’s okay with you, I mean.” He said awkwardly. He pulled the object from his pockets and he saw Magic’s eyes widen in surprise. 

“You brought your own cuffs?” Magic asked, staring at them. 

Arthur had brought a pair of handcuffs, had had them hidden in his pocket or his desk drawer all during work while he had debated with himself over whether or not he would even come here after work. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about them since he’d bought them. 

Arthur nodded. “I was hoping we could try them out.” 

Magic grinned. “You do know that we have cuffs here, right?” 

Truth be told, Arthur hadn’t known that. But with the way Magic had said it, it seemed like that should have been common knowledge. He flushed. 

Magic’s teasing look faded. “Can I see them?” He requested, reaching out a hand for the cuffs. Arthur handed them over. Magic looked them over, tugging on them and feeling the leather. “These are nice.” He said in surprise. “These are really nice.” 

“They were the nicest I could find.” Arthur rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. They were a really nice pair of buckle cuffs with a soft inside. Magic felt the softness of them, looking impressed. 

“Well, you certainly got a nice pair.” He handed the cuffs back to Arthur. 

“You’re okay with me using them on you?” Arthur asked.

Magic quickly nodded. “Absolutely.” 

Arthur grinned. “Good.” 

“How do you want me?”

Arthur froze, not having thought this far ahead. All he knew was that he wanted to see the cuffs on Magic, but not how. He considered for a moment. “Lay on the bed. On your back.” He instructed. 

Magic did as he was told, hopping onto the bed lazily and laying back, grinning up at Arthur. 

“Put your hands up.” Arthur crawled onto the bed and knelt beside Magic’s head. When Magic did as he was instructed, Arthur looped the cuffs through the bed frame and cuffed Magic’s wrists. He made sure that they weren’t too tight, but that they were tight enough so that the dark-haired man couldn’t pull free of them. He got off of the bed and stepped back, admiring his handiwork. 

Magic looked beautiful, laying on the bed with his hands cuffed above him. There was just one problem with this picture: Magic looked bored. 

Arthur raised an eyebrow. “What’s that look for?” 

Magic shrugged. “Nothing, sir.” 

Arthur was certain that he wasn’t the most exciting partner Magic had ever had, but he didn’t need to look so completely unenthused. Arthur began undressed, slowly stripping out of his jacket and then his tie. He took his time, knowing that Magic’s eyes were on him. By the time he finally relieved himself of his shirt, Magic appeared very frustrated indeed. 

“Problem, Magic?” Arthur asked challengingly. 

“The problem,  _ sir _ , is that you’re not bloody touching me.” Magic complained. 

Arthur chuckled. “Do you want to be touched?” 

Magic hesitated. “Yes, sir.” 

Arthur’s heart swelled when Magic confessed to wanting to be touched by him. Arthur kicked his shoes off before approaching the bed. He placed a hand on Magic’s stomach, applying a barely-there amount of pressure. “Like that?” He asked teasingly. 

Magic swore. “You know that isn’t what I meant.” 

Arthur laughed. “You’re right. I do know that.” He slowly unbuttoned Magic’s pants, pulling the zipper down agonizingly slowly. Magic bit his lip to keep from whining impatiently. Arthur slowly pulled Magic’s pants free from his legs, leaving him in only his boxers.

Arthur bit his lip, unsure of what to do now. He could see the hard outline of Magic’s cock through his underwear. It was amazing that he was hard from being cuffed alone. Arthur leaned down and started mouthing at Magic’s cock through the material of his boxers, soaking the front of his underwear with his saliva. Magic gasped and threw his head back, straining a bit against the cuffs.

Arthur smiled, continuing what he was doing for several moments before pulling away. “You look beautiful like this.” He told him, unable to help himself. He suddenly knew exactly what he wanted to do to the man at his mercy. 

He pulled Magic’s boxers down and off, tossing them to a corner of the room. He blew on the head of Magic’s cock before his tongue darted out to lick the tip. Magic groaned. Arthur smirked. 

He looked up at Magic to see the man staring down at him. “You’ll tell me when you’re close.” He instructed. “You won’t come until I tell you to.” And with that, he took Magic into his throat.

It was harder than he expected. Magic’s cock was long and triggered Arthur’s gag reflex almost immediately. Arthur had never been particularly skilled when it came to sucking cock. His partners hadn’t complained, not exactly, but they’d never sung his praises either. He was sloppy, unsure of what exactly he was doing, and gagged easily. Still, he was determined. He bobbed his head slowly, taking his time to lick and suck at the man under him. 

Magic was not quiet. He let out short, breathy breaths and whined and moaned loudly. Arthur was quickly learning that he loved having a vocal partner. It took longer than expected, but eventually Magic cried out above him.

“I’m close. Sir, I’m close.” 

And just like that, Arthur pulled off his cock and backed away. Magic let out the most heart-wrenching whine Arthur had ever heard, straining hard against the cuffs that kept him from touching Arthur. 

“You bastard.” He huffed once he regained his breath. Arthur merely smiled and took Magic back into his mouth. Twice more, Magic exclaimed that he was close, and twice more, Arthur pulled away. Each time Arthur pulled away, he took a moment to admire the beauty that was Magic, the way he pulled against his restraints, the way his eyes squeezed shut in frustration. He was truly beautiful. 

The fourth time Magic insisted that he was close, Arthur just kept going, wanted to try his luck, wanted to see how far Magic could hold off. Magic whined and tried to pull away, but there was nowhere for him to go. He was trapped. He gasped and his eyes widened, staring up at the ceiling. 

“I’m gonna- I can’t- I-” He gasped and his hips jerked off of the bed. 

Arthur pulled off for just long enough to speak. “Come for me.” And then his lips were back around Magic’s cock.

Magic moaned and thrashed and then he was coming, coming down Arthur’s throat and Arthur choked, pulling off quickly and spitting most of Magic’s seed onto the floor. Arthur really was inexperienced. 

Magic panted, staring up at the ceiling. He breathed heavily, chest rising and falling with each breath. Arthur uncuffed him, smiling at him. 

“That was magnificent.” Arthur told him. “You were great. You were beautiful.” 

Magic chuckled. “All I did was lay there while you gave me a blowjob.” He pointed out.

Arthur shrugged. “And you did so wonderfully.” He was painfully hard from watching Magic come, from hearing his shouts of pleasure. 

Magic noticed. “How do you want me to take care of that?” He gestured to Arthur’s crotch. 

Arthur flushed, still embarrassed about his arousal being referred to with such flippancy. “I’d like to use your mouth again. Like last time.” 

“Alright.” Magic agreed, moving over to unbutton Arthur’s pants. He pulled them down along with his underwear. He took Arthur’s cock down expertly, bobbing his head and sucking. Arthur watched him in wonder, amazed by how skillful he was. 

Arthur grunted, tangling his fingers in Magic’s hair as he slowly took the lead. He maneuvered Magic’s head, guiding him up and down his cock. It didn’t take long before Arthur was thrusting his hips, gasping and squeezing his eyes shut as he came. Magic swallowed it all, not spilling a single drop.

Magic pulled off with a grin and Arthur stared at him. 

“Can you teach me how to do that?” 

“How to do what?” 

“How to,” He hesitated. “How to swallow.” 

Magic blinked at him. “You want me to teach you how to swallow come?” 

Arthur nodded. “And how to give better blowjobs.” He murmured, embarrassed. 

Magic grinned. “Yeah. Yeah, I can do that.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments! Also tell me what sorts of kinks you want to see Arthur, Merlin, Gwen, or other characters try out!


	5. Queen Shit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was sooo hard to write. I spent like two hours researching suspension and it still didn't turn out great, but I tried, so.

Morgana stepped through the doors of Camelot with a smile on her face. She greeted several people who she passed along her way towards the front desk. She reached the front desk and smiled widely at the receptionist. “Hello, Sidhe.” She greeted, brushing her dark hair behind her. “How are you doing today?”

The receptionist smiled at Morgana, knowing her immediately. Sidhe’s real name was Sophia, but they didn’t use real names here unless they were given willingly. Morgana happened to be on a real-name basis with most of the women here, but that didn’t mean she would go around using everyone’s names willy-nilly. 

“Hello, Morgan.” Sidhe greeted with a smile. “I’m doing alright. Bored out of my mind since I got put on front desk duty.” She admitted with a pout. “Are you here to play tonight?” 

“I am.” Morgana confirmed. “I’d like to request Rose tonight, if she’s not too busy.” 

“Still not going to request me, are you?” A familiar voice spoke from behind Morgana and she rolled her eyes as she turned around. 

A man with shoulder length brown hair stood behind her, an easy grin on his face. Morgana was extremely familiar with him. He went by the name Strength and he was one of the most popular escorts in Camelot. He was a switch in nature, able to take on extremely dominating or extremely submissive roles at the drop of a hat. Morgana had seen him in action and it was honestly quite impressive how easily he could shift between roles. 

There was just one problem with the man. 

He was a man.

“I’m a whole lesbian, Strength.” She pointed out, knowing that he didn’t mean anything by his fruitless attempts at flirting. It was a game they played with one another. Strength saw how close he could get to riling Morgana up and Morgana coldly shut him down. It was just part of their dynamic. 

“Shame.” Strength said, shaking his head. “If only I was a woman.” 

“If only.” She patted him on the head condescendingly before turning back to Sidhe. 

“Rose is free.” Sidhe confirmed. “She’ll be in room three.” She handed Morgana her key card. “Have fun.” 

“Oh, I intend to.” She smiled and walked right past Strength without another word, making her way towards room number three. She unlocked the door with her key card and stepped inside, watching as Rose immediately rose from the bed.

Rose was Morgana’s favorite partner in Camelot. She was a beautiful switch who could always be exactly what Morgana needed. Sometimes it felt as though she was born to serve her. 

Morgana watched as Rose dropped to her knees immediately, no need to discuss anything beforehand unless Morgana initiated the conversation. They’d been playing together long enough to know each other’s limits, strengths, and safewords. They were perfectly in sync with one another. 

Morgana removed her jacket, hanging it up on the coat hanger attached to the back of the door. She put her hands on her hips as she admired Rose’s submissive position. She was on her knees, back straight, head bowed, and hands placed gently on her thighs. She was perfect. 

Morgana smiled and made her way to the cabinet in the room, opening it and searching for what she needed. She got out rope and tossed it on the ground in front of Rose. She grabbed her weapon of choice, a simple crop. Next, she grabbed a pair of safety scissors and placed them on the nearby end-table. She stood before Rose and placed the tip of the crop underneath the other woman’s chin, causing her to look up at her.

“Have you eaten today?” 

“Yes, mistress.” Rose replied immediately, obediently. 

“Do you need water?” 

“No, mistress.” 

“Are you sore anywhere?” 

“I have bruises on my neck, but they aren’t enough to get in the way of play, mistress.” 

Morgana pressed the tip of the crop to Rose’s cheek, making her turn her head. Sure enough, there were bruises along the column of her neck, likely from another client. They were clearly made by teeth, not a hand, so Morgana allowed herself to relax. She knew that choking was on Rose’s limit list and she didn’t want to play if those rules had been violated. 

“Is the temperature of the room comfortable?” Morgana asked, her voice calm and clear. 

“Yes, mistress.” 

“Good.” Morgana allowed a hand to bury itself in Rose’s hair, scratching lightly at her scalp. Rose hummed in appreciation, closing her eyes and leaning into the touch. Morgana smiled fondly. 

“I’m going to be tying you up tonight.” Morgana informed her. “And suspending you. If anything doesn’t feel right or becomes too uncomfortable, you let me know. Understood?” 

“Yes,mistress.” Rose nodded immediately. 

“Good girl.” Morgana praised, loving how Rose reacted to it. “Now, stand up and strip for me.” 

Rose instantly rose to her feet, removing her lingerie. She went slowly, just the way she knew Morgana liked it. She slowly slid her straps off of her shoulders before pulling the bustier up and over her head, tossing it aside. She made eye contact with Morgana as she slid out of her panties, leaving her bare for her mistress. 

Morgana set down her crop and picked up some of the rope. “Come here.” She instructed Rose, who did as she was told. She wrapped the rope around Rose’s chest, above her breasts. She pulled the rope through the bight and reversed her direction, wrapping the working end of the rope around Rose’s chest just below the first wrap. She passed the rope through the bight she had created and once again reversed the direction. 

Continuing to work in the same fashion, she made two more passes below Rose’s breasts. She finished the chest harness with two half hitches around all of the lines. She attached another rope to the wraps in the back using a lark’s head knot. She moved in front of Rose and ran the rope over Rose’s left shoulder. She went between Rose’s breasts and under the bottom pair of wraps. Going back toward the right shoulder, she passed the rope under itself and under the top wraps. She snugged the goldfish into place and passed the rope over Rose’s right shoulder. She moved back behind her and secured the rope by tying a half hitch around the wraps on Rose’s back. 

She stepped back and admired her handiwork. She smiled and returned to behind Rose, gripping the wraps in one hand and pressing hard on Rose’s back with the other to test the harness. “Does that feel alright?” 

“Yes, mistress.” Rose confirmed, much to Morgana’s pleasure. 

“Good.” She smiled and got to work on the next step. She grabbed another rope and placed the bight in the center of Rose’s lower back. She wrapped the rope around Rose’s body, went through the bight, and then changed direction.She did this three more times and then checked that all the wraps were equally snug before securing the hip harness with two half hitch ties. She checked to make sure that everything fit correctly. “Comfortable?” 

“Yes, mistress.” 

“Good.” Morgana smiled and got to work on the thigh harness. She quickly and efficiently made the thigh harness, adding frapping turns for extra stability. 

She made a quick ankle harness as well before stepping back to admire how beautiful Rose looked all tied up for her. “Absolutely beautiful.” She purred, reaching forward and pressing a hand to Rose’s face. Rose nuzzled the hand, smiling sweetly. 

“Are you ready?” Morgana asked calmly. 

“Yes, mistress.” 

Morgana got to work on the actual suspension part. Soon, Rose was hanging in the air in a simple suspension, her hands and head being the only free parts of her body. Morgana quickly rectified that, grabbing a pair of cuffs from the cabinet and cuffing Rose’s hands behind her back. Rose still had to hold her head up, but she appeared mostly comfortable, which pleased Morgana. 

“Look at you.” Morgana purred. “A perfect picture of beauty.” She trailed her fingers along Rose’s leg. “All tied up for me. Helpless.” She cooed. “Do you like being helpless?” 

“Yes, mistress.” 

“Of course you do.” Morgana said dismissively. “You love being completely at my disposal.” She smiled. She retrieved her crop and ran it along Rose’s stomach, causing the woman to shudder. “Look at you. You’re practically begging to be hit.” She smirked. “Do you deny it?” 

“No, mistress.” 

“Good girl.” Morgana continued running the crop over Rose’s body, watching how her muscles twitched. “Now, I’ll give you what you want, but you have to be good for me.” She circled Rose’s suspended body. “I’m going to spank you with the crop fifteen times. If you count them out for me, I might even let you come.” She walked to the front of Rose. “Can you do that for me?” 

“Yes, mistress.” 

Rose was talented. Counting fifteen slaps from a crop was nothing to her. She’d taken far worse. But Morgana was in a good mood and she knew that Rose didn’t get off on pain, not really. She much preferred pleasure, but was willing to please her partners. Besides, it wasn’t as if she hated the pain. She was certainly aroused by it to some degree. But Morgana wasn’t in the mood to press Rose’s limits. Not tonight. 

The first hit came down upon her ass. Rose gasped. “One.” Another hit her thigh. “Two.” Three more upon her ass. “Three, four, five.” Two more directly on the same spot as the first. “Six, seven.” And so on it went. Morgana placed her hits carefully, knowing what made Rose jump and squirm. By the time they reached fifteen, Rose was whimpering and wiggling around. Morgana knew that it was mostly for show, but she appreciated it nonetheless. 

When they were finished, Morgana stepped away, admiring her beautiful partner. “Do you want to come?” She questioned. 

“Yes, mistress.” Rose panted out. 

“Hm.” She ran her fingers over the marks blossoming on Rose’s skin. “Let’s see if you can earn it.” She uncuffed Rose and began releasing her from the suspension, untying her and setting her down gently. She returned to the cabinet and brought out a wand vibrator. Rose’s eyes widened. 

“Mistress-” 

“Do you not want it?” Morgana challenged. “Do you not want to come?” 

Rose whimpered. “I do, mistress.” 

“Good girl.” She stroked her hair and kissed her head. “Now, in order to be allowed to come, you must take all ten settings of this without coming. Okay? Can you do that for me?” 

“Yes, mistress.” Rose responded dutifully. 

Morgana knew how sensitive Rose was, knew how hard it was for her not to come when her clitoris was directly stimulated. But she knew Rose could do this for her, knew that she wanted to. 

She set the wand to its lowest setting, using one hand to part Rose’s lips. She pressed it against her and Rose immediately jerked, whimpering as her eyes fell closed. Morgana turned it up to level three, bypassing level two entirely. She had no reason to draw this out any more than necessary. Rose squirmed, her breathing coming out in short pants. They weren’t even halfway there. 

Morgana turned it up and Rose attempted to find a grip at something, anything, but her hands found no purchase. It was turned up to level five. Level six. By level seven, silent tears were rolling down Rose’s cheeks. She was frustrated, she just wanted to be able to come, but her mistress had refused her. 

Level eight. “You’re doing so good for me.” Morgana praised. “You’re doing absolutely wonderful.” That did nothing to curb Rose’s arousal. Level nine and Rose let out a broken sob, her hips bucking up, chasing a release she knew that she hadn’t yet earned. 

Level ten had Rose’s lips parting in a silent scream. She was so close. So close. Just a few more seconds and she would-

Morgana turned it off and pulled Rose close to her. “You did so good.” She praised. “You were so good for me.” She kissed away her tears. “Now, you want to come, don’t you?” 

“Y-Yes, mistress.” Rose breathed out, her voice shaky. 

Morgana rose to her feet, pulling Rose with her. She sat on the bed, pulled her pants off, and tossed them away. “Come here, darling.” She cooed, pulling Rose onto her lap. “Now, you can come, but you have to use my leg, okay?” She instructed. “You can do this.” 

Rose nodded and immediately got to work. She ground herself against Morgana’s leg, chasing the relief that had been taken from her. Morgana watched in amazement as Rose rode her thigh. The feeling of Rose’s juices dampening her leg was wondrous. Morgana bit her lip as she watched her. She leaned forward, kissing and biting down Rose’s neck, leaving marks in the skin. 

Rose moaned, continuing to grind down on Morgana. “I’m close. Mistress, I’m close.” She whimpered. 

“That’s it.” Morgana purred. “Come for me.” 

And Rose did, crying out as she came on Morgana’s leg, Morgana holding her all the while. 

She panted, leaning heavily against Morgana’s chest. 

“That was beautiful. You were beautiful.” Morgana purred. “My beautiful girl.” She praised. 

Rose smiled lazily, a bit worn out. She leaned back, away from Morgana’s chest. “Thank you, mistress.” 

Morgana kissed her deeply. “Now, it’s about time I had my own orgasm, hm?” She smiled at her before pulling down her underwear. “Get to work.” 

And so Rose did. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments!


	6. William

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has discussion of childhood physical abuse. Please have caution while reading.

Merlin wasn’t sure how he felt about  _ William _ . He highly doubted that was his real name. Everyone at Camelot used a fake name, it was safer that way. On the one hand, he wasn’t a very good lay. He was awkward, clumsy, and didn’t have a clue as to what he was doing. 

On the other hand, what he lacked in experience, he made up for with passion and determination. He’d come in every night Monday through Friday to spend time with Merlin and to practice his blowjob skills. 

Merlin had to admit, he was getting better. He still couldn’t swallow to save his life, but he was learning. Merlin had Wednesdays off, but Sophia had informed him that William had still come in on Wednesday looking for him. When he’d found out that Merlin wasn’t there, he had left. The same thing happened on Friday, when Merlin was busy with another client. It was flattering to know that William wasn’t interested in anyone else. 

There was no sign of the blond on Saturday, so Merlin assumed that he just wouldn’t show up on days that he didn’t have to work. It was painfully obvious that William just showed up immediately after his job ended, judging by his business attire. It was possible that he just dressed that way for the scene, for some kind of power play, but Merlin highly doubted it. He was too inexperienced to put that much thought into his clothes. 

Merlin was off on Sunday, spending the day with Gwaine just cuddling and watching movies. It was nice. 

Gwaine also worked at Camelot under the name Strength. He thought it was clever, as it could be intimidating to his subs and a point of mockery for his doms. Merlin agreed that it was more clever than Magic. 

Gwen had mentioned that someone going under the alias of Knight had paid for a night with her, but hadn’t so much as touched her. Instead, he had just talked to her. He’d told her about his life, his hopes, his dreams. He’d mentioned Merlin quite a few times. 

Merlin knew it was Lancelot. Of course it was Lancelot. When he’d suggested that Lance buy a night with Gwen, he’d expected him to at least fuck her. Still, Gwen admitted that it had been sweet and that she hoped she’d see him again. Merlin promised to pass on the message. 

By the time Monday rolled around, Merlin was ready to go. He and Gwaine were both working that night, so Gwaine drove them both there. There was no point in taking separate cars when they were going to and from the same place. Besides, Merlin couldn’t drive.

Merlin and Gwaine made their way into the building through the back entrance, smiling and laughing with one another. They changed into their usual work attire and then went to their rooms. 

Merlin sat on the bed, scrolling through his phone and thinking about William. Why had he come to a place like this? He was clearly inexperienced and didn’t seem to know much about BDSM. Had he come here by mistake and just decided to go through with it? Why was he trying so hard to improve his sex skills? 

Merlin sighed, supposing that it wasn’t his place to ask questions. He wasn’t entitled to anything about William’s personal life, just as William wasn’t entitled to anything about Merlin’s. Keeping things separate was safer and healthier for everyone involved. 

He almost jumped when the door opened, so caught up in his own head that he had almost forgotten where he was and what he was doing. He looked up, placing his phone down on the end table. 

It was William. Speak of the devil. Still wearing that same business suit. Merlin had to admit that it looked good on him. He was an attractive person. He had the blond hair and blue eyes that most people dreamed of having. He was muscular, strong. Merlin couldn’t help but wonder how one of those strong hands would feel around his throat.

He smirked as William entered the room, placing a hand on his hip. “Hello, sir.” He allowed the last word to drip off his tongue, clearly a game he was playing with him. 

William smiled, appearing genuinely happy to see Merlin. There was tension in his shoulders, a wrinkle in his brow. Hard day at work if Merlin had to guess. Merlin studied him, waiting for him to make the first move. 

“Magic.” He greeted. “I haven’t seen you since Thursday.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “You were busy on Friday and I didn’t come Saturday or Sunday, so,” He trailed off. 

Merlin raised an eyebrow. “I remember when we last saw each other.” 

“Oh, right.” William said lamely, swallowing hard. 

Merlin fought back a laugh. “You look tense.” He moved closer to him. “Do you need a massage?” 

William shook his head. “I just need,” He hesitated. “I need a way to get this tension out of me.” He balled his hands into fists before releasing them. “I figured that you would have an idea of how to do that.” 

“I do.” Merlin confirmed. “But it has to be something you’re totally okay with.” He told him gently, searching his face. “If you’re not interested, we don’t have to do it.” 

“What is it?” William asked. 

“You could hit me.” Merlin suggested. “Slap me around, spank me, whatever.” He watched William’s face for a reaction. “It’s a good way to relieve tension. So long as you don’t do it when you’re legitimately upset.” 

William looked horrified, but there was something just behind his eyes that suggested that the idea appealed to him. “I couldn’t- I don’t- I couldn’t _ hit _ you.” He insisted. 

“It’s something that I enjoy.” Merlin said calmly. “Just say no and I’ll drop the subject.” 

“How can someone enjoy that?” William asked, but it wasn’t a no. He sounded genuinely curious. 

Merlin just shrugged. “I just know that I do. It gets me out of my head, plus it’s exciting.” 

William swallowed. “You really want to be hit?” He asked after a long moment of silence. 

“If you want to hit me.” Merlin nodded. 

William sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Okay.” He breathed out. “Okay.” 

Merlin grinned. “Perfect.” He knelt on the ground in a submissive pose. “Just tell me what to do, sir.” 

William didn’t seem to know what he wanted Merlin to do. He took a breath and hesitated, looking around the room. “Stand up and undress yourself.” He told him, resuming a strong, confident air that he’d grown so close to perfecting over this past week, though there was something unsteady in his voice, something nervous. 

Merlin wanted to tell him that they didn’t have to do this if he didn’t want to, but before he knew it, he was up on his feet and obeying the order. He tugged his pants down and tossed them into a corner along with his underwear. 

He tried to use his body language to show William that he trusted him, standing up straight and peering at him through his lashes. But William wasn’t even looking at him. He was staring at the floor. Merlin swallowed and considered talking to him, but he didn’t want to break the scene. 

William swallowed and eventually turned to face Merlin. “Bend over the bed.” He commanded, his voice icy and his ice like stone. It was the most commanding that Merlin had ever seen him.

Merlin hurried to obey, facing the bed and bending over it, his ass in the air. 

“I’m going to spank you now.” William said, his tone never wavering. “I’m going to spank you ten times.” He paused. “You are not to speak unless it’s to use your safeword.” 

Merlin quirked an eyebrow at that. He was under the impression that his gibby words were part of the fun for his partner. Still, he kept his mouth shut. Ten spanks was nothing. He’d been hit by far worse than a hand and far more times. 

“Understood?” William asked.

Merlin opened his mouth to reply, but then remembered that he wasn’t supposed to speak. He nodded. 

“Good.” William took a breath and brought down his hand hard on Merlin’s ass. He moaned a bit, mostly for show, to show William that this was, in fact, something he enjoyed. Another slap across the other cheek. Merlin settled against the bed, rocking his hips into the mattress. He loved this. He loved being touched like this. He loved the pain and the pleasure and all of it.

William had a strong weight behind his spanks. They weren’t the most painful or the hardest spanks Merlin had ever recieved, but they were up there. William was putting his whole body into it, was really getting into it now that they had begun. 

Merlin got lost in the slaps, didn’t even notice that they went over ten. He hadn’t been counting. It wasn’t until they were nearing twenty that Merlin realized something was wrong. 

He looked behind himself to see William’s face. To his surprise, there were tears running down the blond’s cheeks even as his hand came down again and again on Merlin’s flesh. Concern rose up in Merlin’s chest and he hesitated just a moment before speaking. 

“Yellow.” He said. 

William hesitated, as if processing Merlin’s words. “Shit.” He muttered once it caught up with him. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-” He babbled, backing away from the bed. 

“Hey, no.” Merlin turned around and sat up fully. “You didn’t hurt me.” He assured him. “Not in a bad way.” He offered him a reassuring smile. “I called yellow because I noticed you crying.” He explained. “I wanted to know why. If you’re comfortable with sharing.” 

William took a shuddering breath and wiped his eyes. “I’m not crying.” He insisted, obviously crying. 

Merlin sighed. “I’m not judging you.” He assured. “It’s a scene. Things get intense. Tears flow. I cry during scenes all the time.” He smiled comfortingly at him. “I just wanted to make sure that you’re okay. I know you haven’t done this before.” 

William was silent for a long, long time. Merlin didn’t think that he was going to answer him. Merlin was about to open his mouth to say they could resume the scene if he wanted when William spoke. 

“My father used to hit me.” He said quietly, a heavy silence filling the room. 

Merlin’s eyes widened and a weight settled in his throat. He didn’t know how to respond. He didn’t usually get this close with his clients, but it seemed rude to just say nothing. He struggled to find a response. “Oh.” He said lamely. “I’m sorry.” 

William shook his head. “It was my fault.” He said quietly. “I was never the son he wanted, the son he needed.” He sighed. “My mother died in the hospital due to complications with my birth. I don’t think my father ever forgave me for that.” 

Merlin stared, feeling sick. “William, that’s awful.” 

“Arthur.” William corrected. 

“Huh?” 

“My name is Arthur.” William - no, Arthur - said. He slowly sat on the floor, sighing and leaning his head against the wall. “I shouldn’t be telling you all this.” 

“Probably not.” Merlin agreed before he realized what he was saying. “But I’m glad you are.” He amended. “This sort of stuff is important to know. If you have an aversion to hitting people, I should know about it.” He didn’t need to know the _ why _ , but Arthur had already told him and Merlin didn’t want him to feel guilty about it. 

Arthur shook his head. “No, that’s- that’s not it.” He looked down. “I,” He hesitated. “I liked it.” He whispered, sounding disgusted. “I was enjoying hitting you. It made me feel powerful. It made me feel good.” He sighed, staring up at the ceiling. “I liked the noises you were making. I liked that you seemed to enjoy it. I liked inflicting pain.” 

“And you reminded yourself of your father.” Merlin completed the thought, a sadness washing over him. It was awful that Arthur compared himself to someone who had seriously hurt him. “You’re not like him.” He said firmly. “You’re hitting someone who enjoys it. You’re hitting someone who willingly asked you to hit them.” Merlin pointed out. “That’s different than hitting a child.” 

Arthur shrugged. “It’s the same concept though, isn’t it? I enjoy hurting people. Just like he did. Just like he  _ does _ .”

“It’s not the same concept at all.” Merlin said firmly. “You can’t think like that. It’s different. I promise you that it is.” They were getting oddly personal and Merlin was beginning to become a bit uncomfortable. He wasn’t a therapist. He wasn’t here so his clients could unleash all of their baggage onto him.

Arthur seemed to be thinking the same thing. “Right. Okay.” He didn’t seem to believe Merlin’s words, but at least he accepted them. He stood up and walked towards the bed. “Let’s just continue the scene.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. 

“Are you sure?” Merlin asked gently. “We don’t have to continue if you don’t want to.”

“No, I want to.” Arthur assured him. “Just, no more spanking. Not tonight.” Merlin nodded and looked at him. 

“I’m green.” He said.

Arthur dropped to his knees and wrapped his lips around Merlin’s cock, causing Merlin to gasp. He hadn’t been expecting that. He tangled his fingers in Arthur’s hair, gently guiding him. “That’s it.” He purred. He wasn’t used to being on this end. Merlin was a sub through and through, so he didn’t take on the guiding role very often. He obeyed orders, or disobeyed them if the case may be. He didn’t give them. 

“Come on, look up at me. Make eye contact.” He instructed, doing his best to take a more commanding role so he could teach Arthur how to better perfect his skills. Arthur immediately did so, his blue eyes coming to match Merlin’s. Not a switch his ass. Arthur took commands like he was made to do it. 

“Good. That’s good.” Merlin praised, earning a soft little moan from the man on his knees before him. “Making noise. That’s good.” He praised further, earning more moans and soft whines of pleasure. 

Arthur pulled off Merlin's cock so he could kiss at Merlin’s thighs, feeling daring and leaving a hard bite on the inside of his thigh. Merlin gasped at the sensation, moaning quietly. Arthur smirked, looking pleased with himself. He continued kissing his way closer to Merlin’s cock before kissing his way up his shaft and suckling at the head, tonguing the slit. Merlin gasped and shuddered. 

When had Arthur become  _ good _ at this? Merlin wasn’t sure, but he certainly wasn’t complaining. He let Arthur take the lead, watching as he bobbed his head, licking and sucking and doing a quite splendid job. Arthur reached his hand up to stroke and squeeze at whatever he couldn’t reach with his hand. 

Merlin panted, his hips making tiny jerks upward, chasing his relief. He wanted to see how close he could get without telling Arthur. Part of him wanted to see what Arthur would do to him if he came without permission, but he realized that it would probably just put an early end to the night, so he spoke up. 

“I’m close. I’m so close. Sir, please.” He gasped out. But just as he had expected, Arthur pulled away, removing all contact with him. Merlin whined petulantly, having been so, so close to his orgasm. 

Arthur chuckled. “You’re beautiful like this.” He praised. “So beautiful.”

Merlin whimpered and whined. “Please, sir. Please.”

Arthur smiled and went back to work, taking Merlin back into his mouth. He couldn’t deep throat, not yet, but he could take much more of Merlin than he could the first night he tried. This time, when Merlin had exclaimed how close he was, Arthur hadn’t stopped, just continuing to bob his head, licking and sucking all the while. Merlin hadn’t been given permission to come, so he tried to hold off. He really did try. But it became too much and he was shooting down Arthur’s throat. 

To his surprise, Arthur didn’t pull off and gag or spit. Instead, he swallowed dutifully before pulling off. He had some of Merlin’s come sliding down his chin, but he’d managed to take most of it. 

Merlin stared, feeling almost painfully aroused again just from the knowledge that Arthur had swallowed for him. “That was good.” He breathed. “That was really good.” He panted heavily, throwing his head back against the mattress. 

“Thanks.” Arthur looked proud of himself. “Now, why don’t you come down here and return the favor?”

Merlin did. He crawled onto the floor and opened Arthur’s pants, pulling them down along with his underwear just enough so he could wrap his mouth around him. He got to work slowly at first and then increasing his speed. Arthur moaned, his hands tangling in Merlin’s hair. Merlin allowed Arthur to buck into his mouth as he finished, gasping and moaning all the while. 

Merlin pulled off with a grin. “Good?” 

“Wonderful. Thank you.” Arthur reached out to gently stroke Merlin’s face. “You were perfect.”    


Merlin flushed, not expecting the compliment. “You’re welcome. Sir.” He added hastily after the fact.

Arthur rolled his eyes and stood up, tucking himself into his pants. “So, are you off on Wednesdays?” 

“Yeah.” Merlin confirmed. “Wednesdays and Sundays.” 

“Hm. I won’t come on Wednesdays, then.”

“You know that you can schedule a weekly reservation, right?” Merlin raised an eyebrow. “So I can be yours once a week and you don’t have to worry about me being with someone else when you get here.” 

“I can do that?” Arthur looked surprised. “No one told me that.” 

“Well, I’m telling you now.” 

“Hm.” Arthur considered. “What day works best for you?” 

“Well, Fridays and Saturdays are my busiest days, so probably not one of them.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Tuesdays work, though.” He suggested. 

“Tuesdays. Alright.” Arthur smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.” 

Merlin grinned, his heart skipping a beat. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please leave comments and suggest kinks you want to see characters try out!


	7. Family Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is all plot, babey

Arthur hated the family dinners that his father insistently held each month. He hated the way his father talked down to him, hated the arguments that always erupted between his father and Morgana, hated all of it. 

He wasn’t a child anymore, he shouldn’t have to go. He supposed that he technically didn’t  _ have _ to attend, but he knew that if he didn’t go, his father would give him hell for it. 

Arthur sighed, feeling tense and agitated. He couldn’t focus at work all day, spacing out as he dreaded the night to come. His mind kept drifting to Magic, the escort that he now had a standing reservation with. He’d opened up to Magic more than he’d opened up to anyone in a long, long time. 

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d confessed to someone that his father had used to hit him, if he had ever told anyone at all. It was a closely guarded family secret. Uther saw nothing wrong with it, of course, but that didn’t mean he went around advertising it. In his eyes, he was right and the rest of the world was wrong. 

Arthur rested his head on his desk, closing his eyes and sighing. He wished he could find a way out of this family dinner so he could spend the night with Magic instead. He’d learned that he enjoyed many things that he’d never expected to enjoy with the escort. 

He enjoyed watching his partner squirm and beg when he denied them the ability to orgasm. He enjoyed restraining his partners, leaving them helpless to seek out the touch they so desperately craved. He enjoyed hair-pulling and leaving marks against their skin.

He enjoyed hitting them. 

Arthur’s eyes opened and he sat up straight. He hated that he enjoyed that particular aspect of play. He hated that it made him disgusted with himself, made him feel like he was staring at an image of his father whenever he looked in the mirror. He hated it, hated himself for enjoying it.

But then he remembered how Magic had reacted to it. He remembered how his back had arched and how he’d moaned. He’d rocked his hips and spurred Arthur on. He’d liked it. He’d enjoyed it so much and that just gave Arthur more conflicting feelings. 

By all accounts, Magic shouldn’t have enjoyed being hit the way he had been. But he had. And Arthur had liked that he’d liked it. 

God, what was wrong with him?

Arthur rubbed his face in his hands, taking deep breaths. There must have been something seriously wrong with him to care so much about what a prostitute did or did not enjoy. He didn’t even know if Magic had  _ really _ enjoyed it or if it was all part of his act for money. Arthur didn’t like to think that way, though. Magic seemed so genuine, so true. He certainly seemed like the person who would tell someone if they didn’t like something. 

What reason would Magic have to talk to Arthur about it? Why would he safeword to bring them out of the scene if he wasn’t legitimately concerned that Arthur wasn’t enjoying it? Why did Arthur tell him his real name? Why had anything happened that night? 

Two weeks had passed since that night and they hadn’t brought the events of that night up. Magic still referred to Arthur exclusively as  _ William _ or  _ Sir _ . Arthur was slightly relieved. He didn’t want to admit that he’d had a breakdown while hitting an escort and Magic seemed content in him living out the lie that he hadn’t.

By the time that night rolled around, Arthur was half convinced to cancel and spend the night at Camelot with Magic, but he knew that he wasn’t brave enough to stand up to his father in that way. Besides, if he cancelled, he’d have to come up with an excuse, and somehow he didn’t think that skipping to pay for sex would be an adequate excuse. 

He stood on the doorstep of his father’s mansion, taking a deep breath before knocking on the door. It immediately swung open to reveal Morgana standing there.

“Oh, thank God you’re here.” She breathed out, ushering Arthur inside. “If I had to spend another moment with him, I think I might snap his neck.” She said seriously. 

Arthur chuckled a bit, shaking his head. “It sounds like I arrived just in time, then.” 

“Not a second too soon.” Morgana agreed, leading him down the hall and towards the dining room. 

Uther was already there, having his cook prepare the evening’s meal, no doubt. He smiled when he saw Arthur. “Ah, Arthur. Come in, come in.” He ushered him closer. “What would you like to eat this evening? I’ll have Mary whip you up something special.” 

Arthur smiled painfully, trying to hide the discomfort he felt around his father. It wasn’t that he was afraid of him, not anymore. He knew that his father wouldn’t lay a hand on him anymore. It was just that his father still expected so much from him and it hurt to know that he’d never be perfect in his father’s eyes. 

“I’ll take a steak.” Arthur answered as he took his usual seat at the right of his father. 

“Perfect.” Uther went into the kitchen to place the order, leaving Arthur alone with his sister.

She sat directly across from him, drumming her fingers against the table. “So, have you visited Camelot?” She asked innocently, peering at Arthur through her eyelashes. 

Arthur’s face grew heated. “I told you that I wouldn’t.” Which wasn’t a lie. He had said that he would never in a million years attend such a place. 

“That doesn’t answer my question.” Morgana said knowingly, a smirk playing at her lips. “I’m the last person who could judge you.” She pointed out. “I visit frequently.” 

“Well, I don’t.” Arthur said in an attempt to shut the conversation down. It didn’t work. 

“No? No one there catches your eye?” She teased, but she quickly fell silent as Uther entered the room. Even she didn’t want their father to know what they got up to in their free time.

Uther sat and they all made pleasant conversation with one another until their dinner was served. As he dug into his own steak, he glanced at Arthur. “So, why don’t you have a girlfriend yet?” 

Arthur nearly choked on the piece of meat he was placing in his mouth. He coughed and took a long sip of water, trying to think of how to answer the question. He couldn’t exactly come out and admit that he was gay, that wouldn’t go well at all. Instead, he thought over his options. 

“I do.” He lied, not knowing what else to say. 

“You do?” Uther appeared delighted. 

“You do?” Morgana appeared disbelieving. 

“I do.” Arthur confirmed, looking down at his steak. 

“Well, you must tell us about her.” Uther encouraged. “What’s her name?” 

“Her name. Yes.” Arthur panicked, searching his mind for a name that would fit a woman. “Her name is Rose.” He regretted the choice as soon as it slipped from his lips. He had to fight hard not to wince visibly at his own stupidity. He looked across the table and saw Morgana’s face twist into one of surprise quickly followed by barely contained laughter. 

“Rose.” Uther repeated. “What does she look like? How did you meet her?” 

“She’s, uh, black.” Arthur said lamely. “And beautiful.” He forced a smile. “With loose, brown curls, and an amazing figure.” He could recognize Rose’s attractiveness despite himself not being attracted to her. “We met at a club.” That bit wasn’t a lie. 

“A club.” Uther hummed. “What’s she like?” 

Arthur was stumped on that one. He’d only known Rose for about fifteen minutes, if that, and he’d only met her once. “She’s really kind.” He said slowly. “And helpful.” 

“She’s wonderful, Father.” Morgana spoke up. “She’s very polite and proper. You’d like her.” 

“I’m sure I will.” Uther smiled. “You must bring her next month.” It wasn’t a suggestion. 

“Oh, I don’t know.” Arthur tried to think of an excuse as to why he couldn’t bring his supposed girlfriend to meet his father. “Our relationship is so new. I wouldn’t want to overwhelm her.”

“Nonsense.” Uther waved the concern away. “She will come. It would be an honor to host her.” 

Arthur hesitated. “Yes, Father.” He sighed, continuing to eat his steak even as his stomach twisted and turned. This was a terrible idea. 

Eventually, the dishes were cleared away and Arthur and Morgana exited the house. They walked towards their cars in silence before Morgana spoke up. 

“So, you’re dating Rose, huh?”

“Shut up.”

“Funny, considering that you don’t even know her real name.” 

“I said shut up.” 

“How are you planning on bringing her here next month?” 

Arthur sighed. “I don’t know.” He admitted. “I really don’t know.” 

“I might be able to help you with that.” Morgana said cheerfully. “But you’ll owe me.” 

“What could you possibly do?” 

“Rose and I are something of friends.” Morgana explained. “I’m sure she wouldn’t mind doing this small favor for me. So long as she’s paid, of course.” She smirked. “I’ll see what I can do. Just know that you are in my debt.” 

Arthur watched as she got into her car and drove away. He just had to hope that she was true to her word and could help him. Still, the last thing anyone wanted was to be indebted to Morgana. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!! Please leave comments as they make me write faster and keep me invested in this story!


	8. Strength and Lion

Gwaine worked Wednesdays despite Merlin being off. It was the worst night of the week for him since he had to wait until he got home to see Merlin. They weren’t terrible. He just missed being able to drive home with Merlin in the passenger seat, missed being able to chat with him about his night, missed just being close to him. 

It wasn’t awful. Gwaine still loved his job, even without Merlin there. There was just a melancholy feeling that came with working alone. 

He shrugged it off as he dressed out into his work clothes, which consisted of a pair of form-fitting black pants and no shirt. He made his way to his room, room number seven, and sat on the bed. He stretched out, rolling his neck to get all the tension out. He wondered if any of his regulars would be coming in tonight. He liked his regulars well enough, even if one or two of the could be on the side of too rough. 

Gwaine liked it rough. He liked seeing the marks people inflicted on him and enjoyed feeling the soreness. He wasn’t one to complain when a client played too rough, despite how concerned it made Merlin. No, he kept his mouth shut during all the wrong times. 

The door opened and Gwaine rose to his feet, turning to face his client. It was someone new, someone he hadn’t seen before. He was tall, with curly, dirty blond hair. He wasn’t bad looking. Wasn’t bad looking at all. Gwaine smirked. 

“Hello.” He greeted. “And who might you be?” 

“You can call me Lion.” The man introduced himself, offering Gwaine a friendly smile. That was new. “I heard that you’re called Strength?” 

“The one and only.” Gwaine performed a playful bow. “Now, are you looking for a sub or a dom tonight?” He purred, willing to perform however Lion wanted him. 

“A sub.” Lion said. “A good sub. A well-behaved one.” He looked Gwaine up and down. “Can you be that for me?” 

“I can be anything you want.” Gwaine winked at him. It was true that he was usually a bit more on the bratty end, but he could behave for the right dominant. “And what should I call you?” 

“Sir.” 

“Yes, sir.” Gwaine smiled. “My limits are no scat or vomit. Pretty much anything else is on the table.” 

“ _ Anything _ else?”

“Yup.” Gwaine confirmed with a nod of his head. He slid onto his knees. “Now, how can I service you, sir?” 

Lion swore under his breath, staring at Gwaine like he’d just hit the jackpot. Gwaine felt pride swell in his chest. He knew he was impressive and he enjoyed it when other people noticed it too. Lion’s hands reached up to tangle in Gwaine’s hair, tugging gently at it. Gwaine let his lips part in a quiet moan. 

“Look at you.” Lion murmured, tracing his hand down Gwaine’s face. “Already ready for me. Willing to let me do whatever I want to you.” 

“Yes, sir.” Gwaine said, making his words come out breathy and soft. He might as well put on a show of acting like Lion was the best he’d ever had. People liked it when Gwaine acted like they were something special. 

“What are your safewords?” 

“Green for good, yellow for pause or slow down, red for stop.” Gwaine recited dutifully. 

“And if you can’t speak?” 

“One tap for green, two for yellow, three for red.” 

“Good boy.” Lion praised, running his fingers through Gwaine’s hair. Gwaine leaned into the touch and allowed his eyes to slip shut. 

They remained that way for several moments, with Lion’s hands gently running through Gwaine’s hair before they suddenly grabbed a fistful of hair and tugged his head back roughly. Gwaine gasped. 

“Get up and lay on your back on the bed.” Lion instructed, releasing Gwaine’s hair. Gwaine scrambled to his feet and did as he was told, laying back against the bed. Lion went to the cabinet and procured two items before returning to Gwaine’s side. He used the cuffs to cuff him to the bed, his hands trapped above his head. “Show me that you can still tap out your safewords.” Lion commanded.

Gwaine tapped once on the headboard. 

“Good boy.” Lion kissed him. 

Gwaine never liked it when clients kissed him. Kisses were meant for someone special and his clients weren’t special. They were just anonymous people who paid him for sex. They didn’t deserve to be able to kiss him. 

That never stopped Gwaine from kissing back, from putting his all into each and every kiss. His lips parted and he gave himself over to Lion, allowing him to cup his face and angle his head back. He just laid pliantly, thinking to himself about how at least Lion was a good kisser. 

Lion pulled away, pressing the blindfold across Gwaine’s eyes and tying it in the back. “You have no idea how beautiful you look.” He praised, earning a whine from Gwaine. He trailed a hand over Gwaine’s chest, feeling the muscles underneath his skin. 

He paused. “How do you feel about breathplay?” 

Gwaine’s heart leapt into his throat and he nodded vigorously. “Love it, sir.” He exhaled, excited by the very idea of it. He wasn’t lying to placate Lion. He genuinely enjoyed breathplay and being choked was one of his biggest kinks. The thought of the man’s large hand around his throat excited him. 

“Good.” Lion sounded a bit relieved. “Then I’m going to choke you while I fuck you tonight. If you need to safeword, you know what to do.” 

“Yes, sir.” Gwaine shifted a bit on the bed, his cock filling out. The idea of being choked, of being completely powerless to stop whatever Lion wanted to do to him was thrilling. He felt his pants being undone, felt them being pulled down and tossed aside along with his underwear. His heart pounded against his ribs.

There was the sound of a cap opening followed by wet fingers making their way to Gwaine’s entrance. Lion slid a single finger in, moving it around slowly. He was maddeningly slow about the whole thing, taking his time to properly prepare Gwaine. Gwaine strained against his bindings, trying to impale himself upon Lion’s finger, desperately needing  _ more _ . Lion chuckled and added a second finger, stretching him out at that same horrible pace.

Gwaine preferred it when clients didn’t bother with preparing him at all, when they just shoved their cocks inside of him and made him  _ feel _ it. Sure, it hurt like hell, but Gwaine had learned to start preparing himself before work just in case of said event happening. It wasn’t as though he needed this extra careful preparation. 

Eventually, Gwaine snapped. “Just fuck me already.” He whined, still trying to fuck himself down on Lion’s fingers. And just like that, Lion’s fingers were gone. Gwaine whined louder. 

“You aren’t the one giving the orders here.” Lion said coldly. “I am.” There was a moment of silence before Gwaine heard the sound of flesh striking flesh. It took him another moment to realize that the sound was made by Lion’s hand colliding with Gwaine’s cheek. The area stung, but Gwaine said nothing, just breathing heavily. 

“I’m sorry, sir.” He whimpered pitifully. “I’ll be good. I promise I can be good.” 

“You better be.” Lion said. “Too many mistakes and I’ll walk out that door and find me a different sub, one who can behave.” 

It was an empty threat, or at least, Gwaine believed it to be one. Lion had already bought a night with him. If he left, that would just be money down the drain. Still, Gwaine jerked against the cuffs and shook his head. 

“No! No, sir. Please don’t go. I’m being good.” 

“Good boy.” Lion stroked his face before resuming where he left off, reinserting his fingers and fingering him slowly. He didn’t speed up, wasn’t in a hurry to fuck Gwaine at all. It was maddening. 

Eventually, Lion pulled his fingers free, earning a soft moan of disapproval from Gwaine. But his fingers were quickly replaced by something far larger and more blunt. Gwaine gasped as Lion’s cock pushed its way inside. There was barely any burn, as Lion had been thorough in his preparations. 

Lion’s cock seemed to go on forever, as each time Gwaine thought that he’d finally bottomed out, more pressed into him. He was long and thick and filled Gwaine up perfectly. He finally, finally sheathed himself fully inside of Gwaine and then stroked his face. 

He didn’t move. He was content just pressing himself into Gwaine. With the blindfold on, Gwaine couldn’t even see his face to guess what he was thinking. It was infuriating. Gwaine just wanted him to move, just wanted him to fuck him until he couldn’t see straight. Was that too much to ask? He wasn’t one for all this tender treatment.

Suddenly, there was a hand around his throat. It wasn’t squeezing, not yet. It was just a steady pressure. 

“Color?” 

“Green.” 

And the hand began to squeeze.

Gwaine’s moan died in his throat as Lion began to move. Gone was the slow, leisurely pace that he’d practiced with his fingers. It was replaced by a punishing pace that had Gwaine struggling to keep his head from knocking against the headboard. 

The pressure on his neck was perfect. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, could only feel. He could only feel the sensation of Lion’s cock pistoning inside of him. Could only register the fuzzy feeling in his head. His body rocked harshly on the bed, his wrists trapped by the cuffs. It was glorious. 

Lion released his neck, allowed him to get in several gulps of air before the hand closed around him again. Everything faded away and all he felt was the sensation of it all. He felt how Lion’s cock filled him, felt the hand harshly around his throat. He was painfully hard and so close to coming just from this alone, but he held off. He hadn’t been giving permission. 

Lion’s free hand wrapped around Gwaine’s weeping cock, stroking in time with his thrusts. He kept releasing Gwaine’s throat for a few moments, allowing him to breathe, before his hand resumed its grip. 

Gwaine could feel something in the back of his mind, could feel everything become heightened and slow all at once. He was falling, falling, falling. 

Gwaine couldn’t help it, with all the experiences at once, he couldn’t take it anymore. He tried to breathe out a warning, tried to tell Lion that it was too much, but he couldn’t get the words out. 

He came all over his stomach and chest, splattering himself with his own come. Lion released his throat and gripped his hips instead. He thrusted once, twice, three more times before burying himself as deep inside of Gwaine as he could manage, spilling within him. 

Gwaine felt groggy. Everything felt so far away. He started shaking without realizing that he was doing so. He felt so distant. He barely registered that Lion was uncuffing him, was untying the blindfold. As soon as the fabric was torn from his eyes, everything felt so bright. His head ached. His throat hurt. He couldn’t process the words that Lion was saying. Where was Merlin? He wanted Merlin.

His eyes were glassy and far away and he just curled up on the bed, hugging his knees. He took a few breaths, closing his eyes. He didn’t want to be here anymore. He wanted to go home. He wanted Merlin. 

“Merlin.” He murmured. “Where’s Merlin?” 

He didn’t notice Lion’s confused expression, didn’t register when Lion left the room to get help. He barely noticed when Gwen entered the room to lead him out. He stumbled to his feet, allowed Gwen to dress him, and followed her into the staff room, curling up in a chair while Gwen called Merlin. Everything felt like too much and too little at the same time. 

A hand reached up to feel his sore throat. He hadn’t been choked like that in a long time. It had been amazing and wonderful and too much all at once. He just closed his eyes and let everything fade. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments!


	9. Someone to Care For

Merlin was enjoying his day off when he got the call. He was sitting on his couch in the apartment he shared with Gwaine when his phone started ringing. He checked the caller ID, expecting a spam call, when Gwen’s name flashed upon the screen. She was supposed to be working. Concern flashed across his face and he quickly answered the call. 

“Gwen? Is everything alright?” 

“Yeah, everything is fine.” Gwen said in a calm, even tone. “I just called because something happened.” 

“What?” Merlin sat up straighter. “What? What happened?” He couldn’t keep the worry out of his voice. 

“Gwaine was in a scene and he apparently dropped.” Gwen said calmly. “He’s okay. He doesn’t appear too hurt or anything. He’s asleep right now, but I thought you should know. He was asking for you.” 

Merlin felt his heart beat faster in his chest. Gwaine almost never dropped, especially not with a client. Something must have happened. “Shit.” He swore. “I’m on my way.” He hopped up and put on his jacket, not even bothering to change into real clothes. He was still in his pajamas, but he didn’t care. He needed to get to Gwaine. If only he could drive.

“How’s he doing?” He stayed on the phone with Gwen, needing to know that Gwaine was okay. “What happened?” 

“He’s doing okay. He’s just curled up in a chair, sleeping.” Gwen informed him. “And I don’t know exactly. The client came out of the room, saying that something was wrong with Gwaine, so I went in the check on him and he had dropped.” She explained. “He had marks on his neck, so I’d guess breathplay.” 

Merlin swore. “That bastard must have been too rough with him.” He murmured. It was the only explanation. Gwaine could take harsh treatment, had always been able to handle even extreme conditions. Gwaine was into breathplay, but Merlin knew from experience how intense it could be. 

“Just stay with him. I’m on my way.” Merlin hopped onto the bus, sitting down and waiting for his stop. “If he wakes up, can you put him on the phone?” 

“Yeah, I can do that.” Gwen confirmed. “Look, I have a client, but Percival is here with Gwaine. Do you want to talk to him?” 

“Yes, please.”

There was the sound of the phone being handed over before Percival’s voice appeared on the other end. “Hey.” 

“Hey, Percival.” Merlin took a shaky breath. “Is Gwaine doing okay?” 

“Yeah, he’s fine.” Percival assured. “He’s got some pretty bad marks on his neck, though. They’re definitely going to bruise.” 

“Why would someone choke him if they weren’t going to do it safely?” Merlin muttered. 

“It doesn’t look unsafe. He didn’t seriously injure him from what I can tell.” Percival tried to calm Merlin down. “I think it just got a bit intense. That’s all.” 

“Right.” Merlin sighed. “Look, I’m almost there.” He stepped off of the bus at his stop. He made his way towards Camelot, walking a few blocks to the building.

“See you soon.” 

“Yeah, see you.” Merlin hung up and shoved his phone into his pocket. He entered through the employee entrance, making his way to the staff room. Percival was standing there, guarding over an unconscious Gwaine. 

Merlin hurried to Gwaine’s side, taking his hand in his own. “Hey.” He squeezed his hand, but was met with no response. He looked up at Percival. “How long has he been asleep like this?” 

“A few minutes, I dunno.” Percival shrugged. “Not that long.” 

Merlin took a breath and cupped Gwaine’s face. He massaged the skin until Gwaine’s eyes fluttered open. 

“Hey.” Merlin said gently. “Hey, I’m here. How are you feeling?” 

“Like shit.” Gwaine murmured, reaching out to pull Merlin closer. He clung to him, obviously feeling empty and exhausted. “I wanna go home.” He murmured. 

“Okay.” Merlin breathed. “Okay, we can go home.” He stood up, taking Gwaine’s hand and helping him to his feet. “We’re going to have to take the bus unless you feel okay enough to drive, okay?” 

Gwaine shook his head. “Don’t wanna drive.” 

“Okay. Okay, you don’t have to.” It probably wasn’t the best idea for Gwaine to drive when he was so wrapped up in his own thoughts anyway. Merlin looked at Percival. “Thanks.” 

“No problem.” Percival offered Merlin a reassuring smile. “Just take care of him.” 

“I will.” Merlin led Gwaine out of the club and back towards the bus stop. They waited a bit before the bus arrived to pick them up. Gwaine was silent the entire way home, but he never released Merlin’s hand. 

Merlin led Gwaine up the steps to their flat, opening the door with ease, as he’d forgotten to lock it on his way out. He led Gwaine to the couch so he could sit down. “What do you need, baby?” Merlin asked gently. “Do you want a shower?” 

Gwaine nodded mutely. Merlin sighed and led him to the bathroom, starting to run the shower. He adjusted the knobs to get it to the perfect temperature before slowly stripping both Gwaine and himself and stepping under the spray. 

Gwaine sank to the floor, hugging his knees as the water washed over him. Merlin wished he knew what he was thinking. He knew that sub drops weren’t pleasant from experience, but he didn’t usually have to take care of Gwaine during a drop. It was usually Gwaine taking care of him. 

He didn’t pressure Gwaine to talk. Instead, he just washed his hair silently, allowing Gwaine the time he needed to think. When Gwaine was ready to talk, he would. Merlin scrubbed Gwaine’s head, massaging the scalp as he rubbed the shampoo all over. Gwaine made small noises of contentment, which was something at least. 

Once they finished bathing, Merlin dried them both off before grabbing Gwaine’s comfiest pair of pajama pants plus an oversized hoodie. He helped Gwaine get dressed and then led him to the bed, where Gwaine curled up under the blankets. 

Merlin sighed and slid into bed beside him, holding him close. He flicked the tv on for some background noise. He knew that he always liked some noise in the background when he dropped. It helped get him out of his head. 

He was rubbing Gwaine’s back gently, half-asleep when Gwaine spoke. 

“Am I a whore?” His voice was so small, so hurt. It broke Merlin’s heart. 

“Why do you ask that?” He asked gently, taking care not to answer the question directly. 

Gwaine shrugged. “I literally let people pay me for sex. I let people choke me and I  _ like  _ it.” He sighed. “And I came before I was given permission.” 

Suddenly, Merlin understood. “Is that why you dropped?” He asked gently. “Because it was too much to keep you from coming?” He played with his hair lightly. 

Gwaine shrugged. “I dunno. I guess.” He fidgeted with the strings of his hoodie, bringing one up to his mouth and chewing. “It was just a lot.” He admitted. “I haven’t been choked like that in a long time.” 

“Did he hurt you?” Merlin asked seriously. “Did you safeword and he ignored it?” 

Gwaine quickly shook his head. “No. No, it wasn’t anything like that. He was a gentleman.” He assured him. “It was just a lot at once.” 

“I understand.” Merlin pressed a kiss to his temple. “I understand how it feels. But I’m so proud of you. You did so good.”

“I came without permission.” Gwaine argued, but there was no real fire behind it. 

“Did he order you not to come?” 

“No, but it’s an unspoken rule that-”

“Then you didn’t disobey.” Merlin said simply. “You did well.” He smiled reassuringly at him. “You did perfectly.” 

“I don’t feel like I did perfectly.” He grumbled. 

“I know, but you did and I’m proud of you.” 

“Thank you.” Gwaine murmured. “Thank you.” He snuggled closer to Merlin, wrapping his arms around him. “I love you.” 

“I love you too, baby.” Merlin smiled fondly at him. “Why don’t you get some rest, okay?” 

“Okay.” Gwaine yawned and closed his eyes. Merlin thought that he’d managed to drift off to sleep by the time he spoke again. “My pay is going to get docked for leaving early.” 

“Hey, don’t worry about pay, okay?” Merlin tried to assure him. “We’ll be alright for one night’s docked pay.” 

“Still. I shouldn’t have left.” Gwaine sighed. “I had more clients.” 

“It’s okay. Your health is more important.” 

“Tell that to Agravaine.” Gwaine grumbled. “I could keel over and die and all he’d care about is how it hurt his bottom line.” 

Merlin sighed. “It’s okay.” He promised him. “Everything will be okay.” 

“I’ll be lucky if Agravaine doesn’t fire me.” 

Merlin rolled his eyes. “He wouldn’t fire you. You’re one of his most popular attractions.” He continued playing with his hair. “He’d be an absolute fool to fire you.” 

“Yeah, I guess so.” Gwaine agreed. “How are things going with that William guy?” 

“Oh, he’s alright. I heard from Gwen that he’s going to pay for her to do something outside of work.” He said. “I don’t know what and it’s really none of my business.” 

“Hm.” Gwaine stretched. “I wonder what he could be paying her for. Isn’t he gay?” 

“I dunno.” Merlin shrugged. “Like I said, it’s not my business. And it’s not yours either.” 

“Okay, okay.” Gwaine put his hands up. “I just thought you’d be interested, considering how close you’re getting with William.”

“William is my client, nothing more.” Merlin said firmly. “There’s nothing going on between us. That would be unprofessional.” 

“So? Isn’t Lance going on a date with Gwen next weekend? He started out as her client.” 

“That’s different.” 

“How?” 

“Lancelot never paid her for sex. He just paid to spend time with her.” 

“He really is a romantic, huh?”

“Something like that.” Merlin smiled. “Now, hush and get some rest.” 

“Yes, sir.” Gwaine winked, earning an eye roll from Merlin. 

Gwaine curled up at his side and drifted off. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments!! They really do help me write! Leave suggestions as to what you want to see!


	10. Girlfriend Material

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is all plot. Be warned that this chapter contains discussion of racism and homophobia. Also, I don't live in the UK and don't know anything about UK politics! So if I messed anything up, please let me know!

Gwen really didn’t know why she’d agreed to do this. Sure, William - or Arthur, as his real name was apparently - had agreed to pay her twice what a client would usually pay for a full night, but it was still dangerous with all kinds of risks involved. Arthur wasn’t even one of her clients. She didn’t know him.

But she knew Morgana. She’d known Morgana for almost a year. The two of them had been playing together and working off of one another for that long. There got to be a sense of trust that was built up after being in a dom/sub relationship with someone for that long. 

Morgana had vouched for Arthur, had even admitted that the two of them were siblings. Still, Gwen wasn’t sure how she felt about pretending to be a client’s long term partner. Who knew if this would be the only time he requested her services in this manner? 

She sighed, supposing that it was too late to back out now. She’d already agreed to do it. She wore one of her nicest dresses and sent Merlin the address just in case something happened to her. She wasn’t going to be stupid about this. She stood where Arthur had instructed her to meet him, a few blocks away from Camelot. 

A nondescript vehicle pulled up to where she was and the window rolled down to reveal Arthur in the back seat. He motioned for her to get in, so she did. She slid in beside him, wondering why he had his own driver in the front seat. She caught a glimpse of the driver in the rear-view mirror and recognized him immediately. It was the man who had caused Gwaine’s sub drop a few weeks ago. She hadn’t seen him since. Her blood ran cold. Why was he with Arthur? Was this some kind of trap?

Arthur smiled kindly at her. “What’s that look for?” He asked, tilting his head to one side. 

“No reason.” She forced a smile in return. She didn’t know if Arthur knew that his driver went to Camelot and she didn’t want to bring it up if he didn’t. “So, what should I know about you before meeting your father?” 

“Well, my name is Arthur. I played lacrosse in high school and college. I have a tattoo of my family crest on my shoulder. My favorite food is steak. My favorite color is red. And I am  _ very  _ heterosexual.” He said seriously. 

“Wait, your family has a crest?” She blinked at him. “Who’s your family?” 

Arthur shifted. “The Pendragons.” 

She stared. “Pendragon. As in  _ Uther _ Pendragon?” 

“That is my father.” He confirmed. 

“He’s an arrogant, homophobic pig!” She exclaimed, shaking her head. “He supports the criminalization of my line of work. He thinks I belong behind bars for my _ job _ .” 

“So do a lot of people.” Arthur said calmly. 

“He’s openly racist and anti-immigration.” 

“He’s not racist.” Arthur argued. “He didn’t even say anything when I mentioned that you were black.” 

Gwen just stared at him. “Am I supposed to feel pleased by that?” She crossed her arms. “He’s said openly racist things and denies the prevalence of racism in this country. He acts like racism is an over and dealt with thing.”

“I mean, isn’t it?” Arthur asked. “Mostly? Let’s be honest, you’re not  _ that _ discriminated against and haven’t been in a long time.” 

“Stop the car.” Gwen demanded. The driver obeyed, pulling off into a nearby alleyway. Gwen exited the vehicle and took off down the street. Arthur clamored after her. 

“Rose! Rose, wait.” Arthur jogged after her. “What are you doing?” 

“I am not going to pretend to be the girlfriend of a racist, arrogant  _ pig  _ like you.” She said firmly, not slowing her stride. “I don’t date racists.” 

“What did I say that was racist?” He sounded genuinely confused. “Rose, wait.” He took her arm. “I don’t  _ understand _ .” 

“And that’s the problem!” She whirled around to face him. “You’re talking about things that you have _ no idea  _ about! How _ dare  _ you say I don’t experience racism? How dare you say that it isn’t a big deal? You have no fucking idea!” She threw her hands up. “You sound just like your father!” 

And that’s when it hit her. He sounded just like Uther Pendragon because he was  _ raised  _ by Uther Pendragon. He genuinely didn’t know any better than what he was taught. It wasn’t an excuse, it didn’t make things better, but it shed some light on the situation. Arthur was an adult and he should know better by now, but he just didn’t. Gwen pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. 

“You have no idea what it’s like to be a black woman in this country.” She said calmly. “Especially not a black sex worker.” She told him. “You have no idea what I face every day. Do you know how many white men walk into the doors of Camelot hoping that I’ll pretend to be their  _ slave _ ? People still think they own me because of the color of my skin.” 

Realization and understanding dawned upon Arthur. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.” 

“I know you didn’t realize. I know you don’t understand.” She sighed. “So maybe just don’t talk about things you don’t understand. Okay?”

He nodded. “I’m sorry. I truly am.” It was apparent that he hadn’t meant to hurt her in any way. “Will you please still pretend to be my girlfriend? Just for the night?” 

She considered. How much racism was she willing to put up with for money? She still had self-respect, but she needed the money and Arthur seemed genuinely apologetic. “Yes.” She said after a moment. “I’ll still do this. But you need to think about things before you speak.” 

“Thank you.” Arthur sighed in relief and led her back to the car. They got back in and continued the drive in mostly silence. “He’s really not a bad guy once you get to know him.” Arthur said after a long moment. “I don’t agree with most of his politics, but he’s a good person.”

“He wants to make same-sex marriage illegal.” She crossed her arms. “He hates your very existence.” She slowly realized the gravity of the situation. “Which is why you need me.” 

Arthur nodded. “He can’t know that I’m, well, you know.” He sighed. “He’d disown me.” He leaned back against the seat of the car. “The only reason he hasn’t disowned Morgana is because she’s a woman. Lesbianism is somehow different than being a gay man. It’s less offensive to him for some reason.” He exhaled shakily. “Besides, she always was his favorite.”

Gwen felt a twinge of sympathy for Arthur. It must not be easy, living a lie for the sake of one’s father. She placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. 

“I’m sorry.” She said gently.

Arthur shrugged. “It’s okay. It’s not like it’s a big deal or anything.” He forced a smile. “I’ll be fine.”

Gwen couldn’t see how one’s identity wasn’t a big deal, but she didn’t comment. She waited in silence as they pulled up to a large mansion. She stared in awe and disbelief at the building. It was huge, much bigger than any home that Gwen had visited before. It appeared to be a castle that was converted into a house, which honestly wouldn’t surprise Gwen in the least. 

She allowed Arthur to lead her to the front door and knock. The door was answered by a man in a suit. He certainly wasn’t Uther. 

“Thank you, George.” Arthur said as he stepped inside, gesturing for Gwen to follow. Gwen smiled at the man - George, apparently - and thanked him. She followed Arthur down a hall and into a dining room. Uther Pendragon himself stood there. 

“Ah, Arthur.” He smiled. “It’s good to see you.” He looked over Arthur’s shoulder. “And this must be Rose.” 

“Yes, Father.” Arthur nodded. “Rose, this is my father. Father, this is Rose.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She offered her hand for him to shake, which he took. 

“The pleasure is all mine.” He smiled kindly. “Please, have a seat.” He gestured to the table. “What would you like to eat tonight?” 

“Oh, I’ll just have whatever you’re serving.” Gwen said, confused by the question. Surely no one would prepare a separate meal just for her?

Uther appeared just as confused as she felt. “Mary can prepare you whatever you’d like.”

“Oh.” Who Mary was, Gwen didn’t know. “I really don’t want to cause too much trouble.” 

“It’s no trouble at all.” Uther insisted. “Really, what’s your favorite meal?” 

“Oh, well, I really enjoy pesto pasta.” It wasn’t her favorite meal, but it was easy enough to make. 

“Very well. I’ll have Mary prepare it for you.” Uther said. “And we’ll have a delicious Greek salad as an appetizer.” 

Gwen smiled as she sat down. “That sounds wonderful, thank you.” She said politely, watching as Uther disappeared through a door. She exhaled shakily, already feeling overwhelmed. 

There was a knock at the front door and a moment later, Morgana appeared. “Sorry I’m late.” She smiled at Gwen, that warm, dazzling smile that sent sparks down Gwen’s spine. “It’s good to see you, Rose.”

It was so odd, hearing Morgana calling her  _ Rose _ outside of a scene. For a long time, they’d started calling each other by their real names as soon as a scene ended. Hearing the name Rose slip from Morgana’s lips made Gwen want to shudder, but she refrained, offering the woman a kind smile in return. 

“Hello, Morgana. It’s lovely to see you too.” 

Arthur took a seat beside Gwen, smiling at her as his father returned. 

“The orders have been placed.” Uther said as he sat at the head of the table. 

A woman entered the room with a large bowl of salad, placing it in the center of the table before setting the table with silverware and small plates for everyone to use. Gwen reached over to prepare her plate, but paused when she noticed the contents of the salad. 

“Oh, is there meat in this?” She asked, noticing the bits of what appeared to be meat in the salad. 

“There is. Ham, roast beef, and salami.” Uther said as he loaded his plate. “Why do you ask?” 

“It’s just that I’m vegetarian.” Gwen said.

“Oh, are you?” He looked at Arthur. “Why didn’t you say so before she arrived?” 

“It must have slipped my mind.” Arthur said as he fixed his own plate of salad. 

“Well, you have my sincerest apologies, Rose.” Uther said. “I’ll have another salad fixed for you right away.”

“Oh, no.” Gwen said quickly. “There’s no need. I don’t need anything prepared especially for me.” She didn’t want the poor cook to work too hard.

“Nonsense.” Uther waved her worries away, much to her annoyance. He left to order his cook to prepare another salad, which was placed on the table a few minutes later. 

Drinks were also served by the cook, everyone being given a glass of wine. Gwen didn’t understand why Uther’s cook was behaving like a servant, but she didn’t comment on it, simply thanking the woman for her drink. 

“So, Rose. Tell me about your family.” Uther said, taking a sip of his wine. 

“Oh.” Gwen looked between Arthur and Morgana, wondering if she should tell the truth. How much did she want her clients to know about her and her family? “My father and brother are welders. It’s sort of a family business.” She settled on the truth, mostly because she couldn’t come up with a convincing enough lie. 

“Oh, your family runs a business?” Uther sounded surprised and Gwen could only imagine why. “That must be nice. Arthur is running the family business now.” He gestured towards his son. “I built that business from the ground up.” 

“Yes. My grandfather started the welding business.” Gwen explained. “And it was passed down to my father, who is passing it down to my brother.” 

“They must be hard-working men.” Uther said approvingly. “You don’t see many hard-workers these days.” 

“I suppose not.” She wasn’t sure what he meant by that. Gwen saw hard-workers everyday, but she held her tongue. 

“I’m in politics. I’m a member of Parliament.” He informed her as though he wasn’t known to everyone with a fleeting interest in politics. 

“I’m aware.” Gwen smiled politely. “You’re a leader of the UK Independence Party.” 

Uther seemed surprised that she knew that. “I am. You follow politics?” 

“I do.” She nodded. 

“What party are you in?” 

Gwen hesitated, not knowing if she should tell the truth or not. She glanced at Arthur for help, but his face was an unreadable mask. 

“The Labour Party.” She said honestly. 

Uther’s expression scowled. “The Labour Party?” He echoed. “Where did you find this one, Arthur?” 

“Oh, look, the food’s here.” Arthur quickly diverted attention away from Gwen’s answer. The food was indeed arriving. 

A new, more casual conversation sprung up upon the arrival of the food and Gwen felt relieved. That was, until a new conversation popped up.

“Rose, do your parents know about my son?” 

Gwen blinked. “They know about him through the news and such things, I’m sure.” She said, confused about his meaning. 

“But do they know you’re dating him?”

“Oh.” She hesitated. “No. They don’t. Not yet.” 

“So they don’t know you’re dating a white man?” 

All of the air seemed to have left the room. Morgana, Gwen, and Arthur all tensed and a moment of silence passed before Morgana spoke up. 

“Father, I don’t see how that’s any of your business.” 

“It’s a simple enough question.” Uther said defensively. “I just wanted to know if they know.” 

“It’s inappropriate to ask.” Morgana snapped. 

Uther rolled his eyes. “It was just a question.” 

“A rude question.” Morgana said, returning to her food. 

Silence settled over the table. 

Arthur cleared his throat. “So, Father, how is work?” 

“Oh, just awful.” Uther shook his head. “You should hear about some of the people I’m running against next year. People are pushing all sorts of things.”

“Like what?” 

“Like people want to make it easier for people to whore themselves out.” Gwen stiffened. “Prostitution is already legal, which it _ shouldn’t _ be.” Uther continued. “But people want to make it easier. They think brothels are a good idea.” He shook his head. “It’s depraved is what it is.” 

“I don’t think that’s fair.” Morgana argued. “Sex work is real work. It’s just like any other job. People shouldn’t be punished for doing their jobs.” 

“They should when it leads to corruption and depravity.” Uther said. “It isn’t right. It shouldn’t be legal at all.” 

Morgana and Uther went back and forth like that for some time. Gwen felt grateful towards Morgana for standing up for her and people like her, unlike Arthur, who sat there and said nothing. 

Dinner eventually ended and Gwen stood to leave. “Thank you for having me in your home.” She said politely, forcing a smile. “Dinner was lovely.” 

“I’d love to have you again.” Uther said. “You were a delight.” 

“Thank you.” Gwen smiled, allowing Arthur to lead her from the house. She felt sick. Uther could appear so charming, but he was just as much of a monster as she had always believed. She followed Arthur towards the car when she felt a hand on her shoulder. 

“Gwen, are you okay?” Morgana asked gently. “I know that my father is a difficult man.” She smiled apologetically. “He’s a horrible person, I know.” 

“It’s alright.” Gwen assured her. “I don’t mind, really. I did what I came here to do and now it’s over.” 

“You deserve better than that.” Morgana smiled sadly. “Here.” She handed her a slip of paper. “This is my personal phone number, just in case you ever want to get in touch or maybe have lunch sometime.”

Gwen blinked. “Are you asking me out?” 

“It depends. Would you say yes if I was?” 

Gwen considered, thinking it over. Morgana was a client. A regular client. It would be weird to date her, wouldn’t it be? “I- I need to think about it.” 

“Take all the time you need.” Morgana smiled and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I’ll see you around, Gwen.” 

Gwen left the place smiling. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me what you think! Tell me the good, the bad, and the ugly!


	11. Fuckery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to porn.

Arthur was tense. He’d had a hard day at work, arguing with people in board meetings all day. It was obvious that no one respected him. He wasn’t his father, hadn’t built the business from the ground up. He’d only inherited it. He wasn’t his father and people didn’t treat him like he was. They treated him like some spoiled brat who didn’t know what he was doing.

And maybe he didn’t fully understand things the way his father had. Maybe he wasn’t as strong of a business owner. But he was still the owner and he deserved to be treated like it, damn it. 

They weren’t making as much as they did last quarter, so some people wanted to slash the pay of the lowest employees. Arthur had refused. Those employees weren’t making a fortune or anything and they worked hard for their money. Arthur wouldn’t betray them like that. 

Thankfully, it was Tuesday, which meant that Arthur had a way of relieving his tension. He stepped through the doors of Camelot and approached the front desk, receiving his key card. He made his way to room number twelve, as he always did, swiping his key card and stepping inside. 

Magic was sitting on the bed, on his phone, as usual. He quickly stood up and set his phone down, turning to face Arthur. 

“Hello, sir.” He greeted with a smirk. 

“Hey.” Arthur responded, less enthusiastic than usual. He looked Magic up and down, drinking in the sight of him. He was still just as beautiful as ever. Arthur noticed that his wrists were chafed and he had dark marks on his neck. Something flared within Arthur. Usually, Arthur just ignored the marks on Magic’s skin, assuming that they were from another client, but this time, the thought of Magic with someone else set a fire ablaze in Arthur’s stomach. 

He crossed the room in a few short strides, grabbing Magic’s chin and tilting his head to the side so he could examine the marks on his neck. His other hand came up to gently brush his fingers against the marks before pressing against them, causing Magic’s breath to hitch. 

“Who gave you these marks?” Arthur demanded. When he was met with no response, he buried his hand in his hair and tugged. “Answer me.” 

“Another client.” Magic said hastily. “I can’t discuss details, but it was another client.” 

“Hm.” The marks stood out against Magic’s pale skin so beautifully. If Arthur had been the one to make the marks, he would have appreciated them. But he hadn’t been and possessiveness threatened to overtake him. 

“Someone else thinks they can mark you.” Arthur growled. “Someone else thinks they own you.” He made direct eye contact with Magic. “Well, they don’t. You’re  _ mine _ .” He snarled, tugging back on Magic’s hair. 

That display earned him a soft moan from Magic. 

Arthur smirked, feeling proud of himself. It was clear that he was working Magic up, which was exactly what he wanted. He wanted to have him, to ruin him for anyone else. Arthur wasn’t sure where this possessive streak had come from, but he liked it. 

He attached his lips to Magic’s neck and  _ sucked _ . He allowed his teeth to graze the skin lightly before biting down. Magic gasped and made tiny whining noises in the back of his throat. It was clear that his neck was very sensitive and Arthur distantly remembered one of his kinks being getting marked. 

Arthur backed Magic up towards the bed, pushing him atop it before crawling over him. He continued to kiss, suck, and bite over Magic’s neck until there was barely any skin left uncovered. Not all of the marks were caused by him, he knew, but plenty of them were and that was satisfactory to him. 

By the time he completed his mission of marking just about every inch of Magic’s neck, Magic was whimpering and whining, his eyes closed and a tent in his pants. Arthur smirked. 

“What should I do with you tonight?” Arthur wondered aloud, trailing a hand over Magic’s chest and ribs. He started kissing his way down Magic’s neck to his collarbone and down his chest, biting and sucking everywhere he could reach. 

Magic shuddered. “Fuck me.” He breathed. “Fuck me, sir.” 

Arthur paused, looking up at Magic’s face. The two of them had never actually fucked before. They sucked each other’s dicks and jerked each other off, but Arthur had never actually fucked him. The words sent a wave of heat directly to Arthur’s groin.

“Yeah.” He murmured. “Yeah, okay.” He continued kissing his way down Magic’s body. “You want me to fuck you? I can do that.” He tugged Magic’s pants down and off, but left his underwear on. He pressed kisses to Magic’s cock through the fabric of his boxers, mouthing at him through the material. 

Magic whined, his hands tangling in Arthur’s hair. He didn’t pull, just left his hands there and gripped at the strands tightly. Arthur found that he enjoyed the pressure, enjoyed the possibility of Magic tugging at his hair even if he wouldn’t actually do so. 

Arthur pulled down Magic’s underwear, leaving him bare. Arthur got to work sucking, biting, and kissing his way up Magic’s thighs. Magic was hard and wanting, being as loud as ever. Arthur pulled away and sat back, just admiring the man laid out beneath him. He palmed at himself to help relieve some of the building pressure. He was going to fuck this man. 

He quickly began stripping himself, starting with his jacket, followed by his tie. He struggled with the buttons of his shirt and Magic noticed, sitting up. 

“Allow me.” Magic offered, calm and steady hands reaching out to unbutton Arthur’s shirt. He shrugged it off and tossed it into a corner. Arthur then kicked off his shoes, having to reach down to rip off his socks. He shoved his pants and underwear down and tossed them away. 

Arthur suddenly felt very self-conscious. He’d never been completely naked in front of Magic before. He wasn’t sure that he enjoyed feeling so vulnerable. Magic was staring at him, drinking in the sight of him. Magic reached out to touch him, trailing his hands over Arthur’s chest. 

“You’re so handsome.” Magic breathed.

Arthur couldn’t help himself, he surged forward and kissed him. 

They’d never kissed before, not on the lips. Arthur had kissed pretty much every inch of Magic at different times, but never his lips. He was surprised by what a good kisser the man was. He responded eagerly, parting his lips and wrapping his arms around Arthur’s neck. Arthur pulled him close, dipping his tongue into his partner’s mouth. 

The kiss was hot and heavy and Arthur wanted more. He pushed Magic down, breaking the kiss. Arthur’s chest was rising and falling with each heavy breath. 

“Where’s the lube?” He questioned. 

“Cabinet.” Magic gestured vaguely towards a cabinet in the corner of the room. 

“Stay right there. Don’t move.” Arthur got off of the bed and moved towards the cabinet, retrieving a bottle of lube before making his way back to Magic. “Flip over.” 

Magic did as he was told, rolling onto his stomach. Arthur poured a generous amount of lube onto his fingers before circling Magic’s hole. He slowly pressed a finger into him, expecting him to clench around him, expecting him to be tight. To his surprise, Magic was fairly loose and he didn’t automatically clench around him. Arthur still moved his finger around, wanting to be sure not to hurt the dark-haired man. But he could add a second finger soon enough, followed by a third. 

Arthur curled his fingers, searching for that spot inside of Magic that would make him squirm. Soon enough, he was rewarded by a slight jerk and a moan from the man beneath him. Arthur smirked and attacked that spot mercilessly. Magic started whining and moaning and babbling, rocking his hips against the sheets. 

“Sir! Sir, I’m close!” Magic warned, his voice breathless. 

Arthur quickly removed his fingers, causing Magic to whine. “You’re doing so well.” He praised. “You want me to fuck you now?”

“Yes. Yes, sir. Please.” Magic whined, doing his best not to start humping the bed. 

“Good.” Arthur poured some lube onto his hand and stroked himself, being sure to rub the lube everywhere he could. He mounted Magic and lined himself up, taking a breath as he slowly pushed in. He couldn’t stop himself from moaning at Magic’s tight heat, gripping his hips tightly. Magic felt perfect around him and the little gasps and moans spilling from his lips made everything that much better.

Arthur slowly sank into him, pushing all the way until he was fully sheathed within him. He breathed heavily and remained still, already feeling how close he was. It had been a long time since he had been inside another man. He took a few breaths before he began to withdraw before pushing back in. He started slowly, leasurely fucking into Magic. He didn’t want it to be over too soon. 

To his surprise, Magic started pushing back, into his thrusts. Soon, they’d built up a rhythm together. Magic was loud when he was being fucked. He moaned and gasped and whined with every thrust, whimpering things such as “yes” and “more”. 

Arthur was happy to oblige. 

His speed increased and his grip on Magic’s hips tightened. He pushed into him, feeling his orgasm approaching. He reached around and grabbed Magic’s cock, stroking him in time with his thrusts. Magic gasped and whined, moaning all the while. 

“You can come.” Arthur panted out. “Come on. Come for me.”

And Magic did, spilling with a loud cry and clamping down on Arthur’s cock. Arthur moaned and thrusted once, twice, three more times before spilling within Magic. Everything went white and when he came around, he was laying completely on top of Magic. 

He pulled out and rolled over, staring at the ceiling as he breathed heavily. He looked over at Magic with a grin, but faltered when he saw the tears on Magic’s face.

“Hey. Are you okay?” He asked nervously.

“Huh? Yeah, I’m fine.” Magic waved him off. “Better than fine, actually. I’m good.” He grinned at Arthur and wiped his eyes.

“You’re crying.”

Magic shrugged. “Because it felt good.” He insisted. “I cry when it’s good.” He assured him. “Really. I’m fine.” 

“Oh. Okay.” 

Magic sat up and stretched. “Will that be the end of the night?” 

Arthur hesitated. “Lay with me?” He requested. “Just for a little while?” He didn’t really want to leave and be alone immediately after that.

Magic smiled fondly. “Yeah. Yeah, okay.” He laid back down and Arthur wrapped his arms around him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments telling me what you think!!


	12. Newbies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We get to introduce two of my favorite characters this chapter! Also, be aware that there is brief discussion of consent issues in this chapter.

Merlin carried the marks that Arthur left on him for days. They were so numerous that even his neckerchief couldn’t hide all of them. People on the bus gave him weird looks and total strangers took notice of the hickeys that dotted his neck. He tried to at least look embarrassed by it, but truth be told, he wasn’t. 

He enjoyed being marked, always had. He liked when a claim was placed on him. The marks were just a reminder of Arthur. Arthur wasn’t the best lay he’d ever had, but there was something so genuine about him that Merlin couldn’t keep his mind off of him. 

It was probably dangerous to keep thinking of him as Arthur instead of as William, but it was easier on Merlin to think of him as Arthur. The name William brought back too many memories. 

Gwaine took notice of Merlin’s newfound interest in his client and mercilessly teased him about it. 

“You have a crush.” Gwaine teased. 

“I do not!” Merlin insisted. 

“You do.” Gwaine said in a sing-song. “I see the way you keep looking at those marks he left you with.” He trailed a hand over Merlin’s throat. “You like them.” 

“I just like being marked.” Merlin said, his face and ears pink. “That’s all.” 

“Hm. If you say so.” Gwaine laughed. “Whatever you say.” He slapped Merlin on the ass playfully. “You better hurry up and get ready if you don’t want to be late for work.” 

Merlin rolled his eyes, but did as he was told. Gwaine was off on Fridays, so Merlin had to take the bus to get to Camelot. He walked in through the employee entrance and stopped when he saw someone he didn’t recognize there. 

She was a young woman, pale with long, dark hair and sunken brown eyes. She was sitting at the table, staring off into space. Merlin approached her. 

“Uh, hello?” He said, causing her to jump. 

She looked up at him. “Oh, hello.” Her voice was soft, timid. The way she sat, with her shoulders hunched in on herself gave her the appearance of being much smaller than she actually was. 

“Uh, are you a new employee or,” He asked, tilting his head to the side. She didn’t seem the type to be an escort, but she didn’t seem the type to hire an escort either. Which begged the question of why she was here.

She nodded slowly. “It’s my first day.” She admitted, looking down at her lap. 

“Oh. Well, I’m sure you’ll do great.” Merlin encouraged. “I’m Merlin, but my alias is Magic.” He smiled warmly at her. “If you need anything, don’t be afraid to ask.” 

“Thank you.” She said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She hesitated. “I’m Freya.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “But my Halig said my alias is Kitty.” 

“Halig?” Merlin frowned. Halig was one of the guards at Camelot. He was rough, tough, and mean as could be. He’d gotten in trouble multiple times for harassing and assaulting the workers. Merlin couldn’t stand him. “What does Halig have to do with anything?” 

“He’s the one who got me a job here.” Freya explained. “He said I’d be good at it.” She didn’t sound happy about it. 

Merlin grew concerned. “But it was your idea, right?” He asked. “To work at a place like this?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean, you aren’t just working here because Halig told you to, are you?” 

Freya shrugged. “What Halig says goes.” She offered him a sad smile. “I don’t mind.”

Merlin frowned. “Freya, this line of work isn’t for people who don’t want it.” He sat beside her. “If you’re going to work here, you have to enthusiastically consent to do so.”

“It’s just a job.” Freya said quietly. “I don’t have to love my job.” She stared at the floor. It sounded as though someone had told her that before. 

Merlin opened his mouth to argue, to insist that this line of work was different, that if she was being forced into it, she needed to tell someone, but the words died in his throat. It was unlikely that he would be able to change her mind. 

“You at least have experience in this line of work, right?” He asked. “The clientele here kind of expect people who have experience with BDSM.” He didn’t want her getting hurt by some douchebag because she didn’t know what to expect. 

Freya nodded. “Don’t worry. I’m used to being paid for sex.” Her voice was so hollow, so sad. “And I have experience with BDSM.” She assured him. “I’ve just never been paid to do BDSM before.” She admitted. 

“It’s not so hard.” Merlin said kindly. “The trick is to always set your limits beforehand and to make your safewords very clear.” He wanted to tell her that if someone was going to overstep, it wouldn’t be her fault, but he didn’t want to scare her too much. Having some sense of control sometimes made things easier. “Are you a sub?” 

She nodded. “Yeah.” 

“Me too.” He patted her leg. “If you need any tips or tricks, just let me know.” He smiled at her. “I should get changed and go to my room, but in case of emergency, I’m in room twelve.” 

“Thank you, Merlin.” Freya said warmly, offering him a genuine smile. “It means a lot.” 

“Of course.” He flashed her another smile before changing out and heading to his room. He’d barely sat down when the door opened. He stood and turned to look at whoever his client was, but he was surprised when he saw who it was.

It was a young boy with wavy black hair and blue eyes. He appeared quite nervous, yet excited. Merlin looked him up and down. 

“Are you legal?” He asked, staring at the boy. He looked like he might be younger than fifteen. Even if he was sixteen or older, Merlin wasn’t sure how comfortable he felt with a teenager paying him for sex. 

The boy quickly nodded. “I’m s- I’m eighteen.” He corrected himself. “I turned eighteen today. It’s my birthday.” 

“Can I see proof of ID?” Merlin wanted to play it safe. He wasn’t about to have sex with a literal child. 

The boy fumbled to retrieve his wallet from his pocket, pulling it out and handing his driver’s license to Merlin. Merlin looked over it, checking for any signs that it was a fake. It appeared legit and the birthday on the ID showed that the boy - whose name was apparently Mordred Nomad - had indeed turned eighteen on that day. Merlin handed the licence back to the boy, who put it back into his wallet. 

“Alright.” Merlin looked Mordred up and down. “What should I call you?” 

“Mordred.” The boy said. “Wait, shit, I mean Druid.” He corrected. 

“Druid.” Merlin repeated. “Well, Druid, my limits are no urine, scat, vomit, or pet play.” He looked at the boy, feeling a bit weirded out by this whole thing. In terms of numbers, the boy was only a few years younger than Merlin. He just appeared much younger. “My safewords are green for keep going, yellow for slow down or pause, and red to end the scene. Got it?” 

Druid nodded. “Understood.” He shifted. “Uh, how do we start?” 

It was very obvious that Druid had never paid for sex before. There was another question that Merlin couldn’t help asking. 

“Have you ever had sex before?” 

The boy shook his head. 

Merlin sighed. This wasn’t exactly the place people went for their first times. But the kid had already paid and Merlin didn’t want him to end up in bed with someone who wouldn’t go easy on him. 

“Alright. Come here.” Merlin quirked his finger and made a come hither motion. Druid stepped closer. Merlin looked into his eyes. “Would you like me to kiss you?” When Druid nodded, Merlin closed his eyes and pressed his lips against the boy’s. He put a bit of pressure into it, waiting for Druid to make the first move to deepen the kiss. When he became apparent that the boy would do no such thing, Merlin allowed his tongue to trail along Druid’s bottom lip. 

Druid gasped, his lips parting enough for Merlin to press his tongue inside. He took control of the kiss, something he didn’t do often. He placed his hands on each side of Druid’s face, angling his head to make the kiss that much better. Eventually, Druid pulled away, gasping for air. Merlin smirked to himself, noticing how flushed the boy’s face was.

“How did you learn how to kiss like that?” Druid asked breathlessly. 

Merlin laughed. “I’ve had plenty of practice.”

“Oh. Right.” Druid’s face reddened. 

Merlin smiled kindly. “Now, do you want to get undressed for me?” 

Druid nodded quickly, hurriedly pulling his t-shirt up and off. He tossed it into a corner before hurrying with his belt. He pushed his pants and underwear down, struggling with his shoes and socks. Soon, he stood completely bare before Merlin, who was still in his pants. 

It felt weird, to be clothed when his partner wasn’t. It usually went the other way around. Merlin didn’t like it, so he stripped himself as well. When they were both naked, Merlin sank to his knees. Druid’s breath hitched as he looked down at him. 

Merlin smirked and took Druid’s cock into his mouth. He sucked and licked, hollowing out his cheeks. He was only at it for a few minutes before Druid was coming with a cry. Merlin dutifully swallowed it all down before pulling off, looking up at Druid in surprise. He supposed that he shouldn’t be surprised that a virgin didn’t last very long, but Merlin was used to being at it for longer. Not that he was complaining. 

He rose to his feet. “Do you still want to keep going?” 

Druid nodded. “Y-Yeah. Just give me a minute.” He was breathing heavily, chest rising and falling with each breath. 

Merlin nodded. “Alright. Take your time.” He sat back against the bed, grabbing his phone and scrolling through it. Several minutes later, Druid nodded. 

“Alright.” He breathed. “Alright, I want to fuck you now.” 

Merlin looked at him before setting down his phone. “Alright.” He laid back against the bed. “Can you get the lube? It’s in the cabinet.” 

Druid did as he was told, fetching the lube before returning, handing it to Merlin. Merlin sighed and lubed up his fingers, circling his own rim before pushing a finger into himself. Druid stared in shock, watching as Merlin’s finger disappeared inside his own hole, followed quickly by another. 

Merlin worked his fingers inside of himself, moaning quietly as he did so, mostly for Druid’s benefit. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Druid stroking himself back to full hardness. 

He eventually pulled his fingers free and looked at Druid. “How do you want me?” 

“On your back.” Druid murmured quietly. “I want to see your face when I fuck you.” 

Merlin was surprised by the tenderness in his statement, but he did as he was told, laying back and looking up. Druid placed Merlin’s legs over his shoulders as he lined himself up. He slowly pushed inside of him, gasping and moaning as he did so. 

He wasn’t very big and didn’t fill Merlin up quite right, but Merlin didn’t mind. He moaned dramatically anyway, deciding to talk to spur the boy on. 

“You feel so good.” Merlin said, breathing out. “That’s it. You fill me up just right.” 

Merlin had never been great at dirty talk, but he wanted to make the kid’s first time memorable. 

Druid began to fuck Merlin in earnest, not hitting anywhere that brought Merlin direct pleasure, but he worked with what he had. The two of them both moaned, their bodies rocking together. Just as Merlin had expected, Druid didn’t last long. Druid pistoned into Merlin quickly, leaving light kisses all along his neck. Soon, he was whining and moaning, spilling deep within Merlin. 

Merlin held him as he came back to himself, smiling softly at him. Druid smiled sleepily. “That was amazing.” He breathed, nuzzling Merlin’s neck. “We have to do that again.” 

Merlin laughed. “If you can bring it up again, sure.” 

To his surprise, the boy was able to fuck Merlin twice more than night. None of those times were particularly good, but Merlin didn’t know what else to expect from a virgin. 

By the time they were finally finished, Druid was exhausted. He curled up to Merlin’s side, closing his eyes. Merlin smiled fondly at him. The kid was plenty cute and it was sweet how eager he was. It took Merlin a moment to realize that the boy had fallen asleep. Merlin chuckled and let him rest. 

He deserved his rest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please leave comments telling me what you think!


	13. Something Terrible

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CONTENT WARNING!! This chapter discusses childhood sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and rape. Please be mindful.

Freya laid in the bed of room number thirteen, feeling sore and worthless. She stared up at the ceiling, her client having already left. She wanted to cry, but could find no tears to shed. There was nothing worth crying about. This was just the way her life was. She was used and then thrown away. That’s the way it had been since she was thirteen. She shouldn’t expect anything else. 

She slowly sat up, wincing as she did so. Her client had been rough. Freya was used to rough, but that didn’t lessen the pain. She made her way to the bathroom that was attached to room number thirteen.

As she stood under the spray of the shower, her arms wrapped around herself and she started trembling. She didn’t know why. She should be used to this by now. Why wasn’t she used to it? 

She closed her eyes and exhaled shakily, turning off the shower. She stepped out and dried off before putting on the clothes she had been wearing before. She brushed out her hair and stared in the mirror for a long moment. She sighed as she looked at herself.

How could someone so broken appear so put-together? 

She made her way back to the bed, straightening out the sheets and blankets before fluffing the pillows. She wanted everything to look nice and neat for her next client. She wasn’t told how many clients she might have in a night and she didn’t know how long it would take for the next client to come. She didn’t want them to be unhappy when they eventually arrived. 

She sat upon the bed and stared vacantly at the wall. She was still shaking. That wasn’t good. No one wanted someone who shook and trembled so terribly. Well, some people did. She closed her eyes and took several breaths to steady herself, but it didn’t work. She couldn’t stop trembling like a leaf. She took a breath and stood up, remembering that Merlin had offered his services to her whenever she needed them. 

She exited room number thirteen and made her way to the room next door. Room number twelve. That was the room number Merlin had mentioned, wasn’t it? She hesitated, listening for the sounds of a scene to tell her that now wasn’t a good time. When she heard no such noises, she knocked twice. 

There was a long moment of her just standing outside the door before the door opened to reveal Merlin wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. 

“Oh, Freya.” Merlin sounded surprised. “Did you need something?” 

She opened and closed her mouth a few times, unsure of what to say. That was when Merlin noticed the way she was shaking.

He frowned. “Hey. Hey, stay right there. Give me a moment.” He closed the door, leaving Freya on her own again. There was the distant sound of talking before the door opened again. This time, instead of Merlin, a young man stood at the door, looking surprised to see Freya.

“Oh, hi.” The man said. He also noticed that she was shaking. “Are you okay?” 

Freya opened her mouth to respond, but she was cut off by Merlin. “Druid, not to be rude, but I need you to go.” 

“Oh, right.” The man - Druid - stepped fully out of the room. “Is it okay if I come back sometime?” He asked Merlin, sounding eager. 

“Sure. Just request Magic at the front desk any day except for Wednesdays and Sundays.” 

“Okay. Thank you.” Druid looked at Freya, concerned. “Do you need help?”

“Druid.” Merlin said sharply. 

“Right. Sorry.” He murmured, casting one last glance at Freya before leaving. 

Merlin ushered Freya into the room. “Are you okay?” He asked, concern lacing his voice. 

Freya opened her mouth before shutting it again. She shook her head. 

“Hey. What’s wrong? Did a client do something?” He asked, brushing a bit of hair out of her face. 

She shook her head again. “No. Nothing that they weren’t supposed to do.” 

“Then what’s wrong?”

Freya shrugged minutely. “I just feel,” She struggled to find the right word. “Bad.” 

Merlin frowned. “Did you sub drop? Is that what happened?” 

Freya’s face twisted into one of confusion. “What’s a sub drop?” 

Merlin’s expression was unreadable. “I thought you had experience with BDSM?” He said gently. 

“I do.” She said quickly. “I just don’t know what that is.” 

“A sub drop is when, like, you feel really good during a scene and then you, like, drop.” He tried to explain. “And you start feeling bad emotionally.” 

Freya shook her head. “It wasn’t like that, I don’t think.” She said quietly. “I didn’t feel good during the scene at all.” 

Merlin’s expression turned sad. “Oh.” He said quietly. 

“But that isn’t a new thing.” She tried to assure him. “I never really enjoy scenes.” 

“Freya,” Merlin said softly. “That isn’t good.” He took her hand. “You don’t have to be super into every scene you do. God knows that I don’t enjoy every single scene I’m in, but if you find yourself hating all the scenes you’re in, this probably isn’t the line of work for you.”

Freya shook her head. “You don’t understand.” 

“Then explain it to me.” He said gently. 

She sighed, gnawing at her lip. “I don’t really have a choice.” She said quietly. 

“What do you mean?” 

“I wouldn’t know how to work anywhere else. Besides, I need Halig and he wants me to work here.” 

“Freya, how old are you?” 

“Nineteen. Why?” 

“Then you can’t have been working in this industry for more than a year.” Merlin said. “ _ Right _ ?” 

Freya was silent. 

“Freya, how long have you been involved in sex work?” 

She wrapped her arms around herself. “Since I was thirteen.” 

Merlin swore under his breath. “Freya, that’s awful.” 

She shrugged. “It’s all I’ve ever known.” 

“Do you wanna talk about it?” 

“What is there to talk about?” 

“What happened. How it started.” 

Freya sighed, looking down at her lap. “I’m not from the UK.” She admitted softly. “I’m from Sweden originally.” She chewed on her lip. “And I lived by a lake.” She smiled a bit to herself. “It was a beautiful lake. I loved it there.” She closed her eyes, imagining it. “But one day, when I was in a shopping mall, I met a man.” Her eyes opened again. “He was nice. He gave me his number and we would talk all the time. Eventually, he convinced me to run away from home so I could live with him. He told me that he loved me.” She shifted. “Soon after I moved in with him, he started touching me. He told me that it was what people who love each other do.” She blinked away tears. “I didn’t enjoy it. Not even then.” 

Merlin remained silent, letting her tell her story. 

“And then he started selling me. I wasn’t the only girl who worked for him.” She hugged her knees against her chest. “And that’s how it went. I lived with him, worked for him, and in return, he took care of me.” She sighed. “I lived with him for years before he got hit by a raid. Most of the other girls were taken away. So, he took me and a few other girls here. The same situation applied, we worked for him and he provided for us. Until last year, when he sold me to Halig.” 

She sighed. “Halig provides for me, but he needs me to work too. I was just working on the streets until Halig got me a job here.” 

Merlin exhaled through his nose, his anger barely contained. “Freya, that’s absolutely awful.” 

Freya shrugged. “It is what it is.” 

“It doesn’t have to be.” He said gently. “You don’t have to work here.” 

“Yes, I do.” She insisted. “If I don’t, Halig will-”

“I can get you away from Halig.” Merlin promised. “I can get you somewhere safe.” 

Freya shook her head. “Thank you, but you can’t.” She said softly. “This is just my life.” 

“It shouldn’t be!” Merlin snapped, causing Freya to flinch. “It shouldn’t be.” He repeated, quieter this time. “You deserve better.” 

“I don’t deserve anything.” 

“You do.” He insisted. “I promise that you do.” 

“Thank you.” She said softly. 

“I’ll get you out of this. I promise.” He took her hand and squeezed. “You’re going to be okay.” 

And she couldn’t help but to believe it, just a little bit. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments telling me what you think and things you want to see!!


	14. Courage

Arthur had been thinking about it for the last few weeks. He hadn’t been able to get it out of his head, actually. Every day, he thought about it. He had meant to bring it up with Magic the week before, but he’d chickened out in favor of edging Magic until he cried before cuffing him and fucking him. It was still fun, but hadn’t been what he’d had in mind for the night. 

No, what Arthur had been thinking of wasn’t something he’d ever done before. It hadn’t even been something he was interested in trying before. But once the idea planted itself in his mind, it only grew. 

He walked into room number twelve and before Magic even turned around, he spoke.

“I want to sub.” He blurted. 

Magic blinked in surprise, his lips parting in a small O shape. He stared at Arthur a moment before clearing his throat. “You want what?” 

“To sub. To bottom. I want to be fucked.” Arthur breathed, glad to have gotten it off of his chest. “I want to at least try it.” 

Magic watched him for a moment, considering. “Well, I can’t help you with that.” He said. “I’m a sub. I hate topping.” He crossed his arms, thinking it over. “But I know someone who can help you out.” 

Arthur’s heart sank. He’d really been hoping to share this moment with Magic, as stupid as it was. Arthur hadn’t been with anyone else in years, hadn’t trusted anyone like he trusted Magic. It was odd, feeling such trust towards a man whose real name he didn’t even know. But despite it all, Arthur genuinely trusted him. 

Something must have shown on his face because Magic tilted his head. “What?” He asked. 

“I was just,” Arthur faltered. “I was hoping to do this with you.” He admitted. 

“Sorry.” Magic uncrossed his arms. “If you don’t want to do it, it’s fine. I just think you’d really enjoy it with the person I’m thinking of.” 

“Who is it?” 

“He goes by the name Strength here.” Magic explained. “He’s a switch, but he’s a really good dom.” 

“It sounds like you’re talking from experience.” 

Magic’s face and ears turned red. “Well, I-” 

Jealousy flared through Arthur’s stomach. “I didn’t realize that escorts paid for other escorts’ services.” He tried to sound as casual as possible. 

“Oh, I don’t pay him.” Magic said, rubbing his arm. “Anyway! He’s in room number seven, if you want to request him.” 

Arthur hesitated, thinking it over. “Will you be there with me?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean, will you be there with me? Will you stay there and watch?” 

Magic looked surprised. “I mean, I can if you want to.” He offered. “But you’ll have to pay double to cover both of our time.” 

“That isn’t a problem.” Arthur waved Magic’s concerns away. Arthur had enough money to buy the whole building and everyone in it. Paying double so he could have someone he trusted in the room with him wouldn’t be a problem at all. 

“Oh. Then, yeah, alright.” Magic agreed. 

Arthur nodded and led the dark-haired man out of the room. He made his way to the front desk and requested to spend the night with Strength. He was given a new key card and he led Magic to room number seven. 

He pushed the door open and was met by the sight of a very muscular looking man with not-quite-shoulder-length, brown hair and honey brown eyes. He was very attractive. He seriously looked like he could’ve been a damn model. Arthur found himself staring openly at him, taking in the sight of him. 

The man quirked an eyebrow, looking over Arthur’s shoulder at Magic. “Who’s this, then?” 

“This is a client.” Magic said, closing the door behind him. “He goes by William.”

“Oh, so  _ this  _ is William.” The man smirked. “What’s he doing in my room?” He looked Arthur up and down in a way that made Arthur feel like the man was going to devour him. He quite liked it. 

Magic looked at Arthur, expecting him to speak up. Arthur cleared his throat awkwardly. 

“I was looking for a dom.” He explained. “Magic couldn’t,” He hesitated. “Magic couldn’t fulfill those needs, so he suggested you.” 

“Oh, did he now?” The man looked at Magic with a smirk. “Well, I can certainly help you there.” He said. “What’s your safewords and limits?” 

“Uh,” Arthur hadn’t thought this far ahead. “Green for keep going, yellow for slow down or pause, red for stop.” He decided to just use Magic’s system. “And one finger held up for green, two for yellow, three for red.” 

“Limits?”

Arthur hesitated, trying to think. “Don’t hit me.” He said eventually. He wasn’t ready for that, not yet. 

“That’s it?” 

“I think so.” 

“This is his first time subbing.” Magic spoke up from behind him. “Go easy on him.”

“Hm.” The man smirked. “I might be able to do that.” He peered into Arthur’s eyes in a way that made him shudder. “No scat, no vomit.” He said shortly. “Those are my rules.” 

“Understood.” Arthur said with a quick nod. 

“Good boy. Kneel.” 

Arthur was surprised by how quickly he obeyed, dropping to his knees in an instant. Even Strength seemed impressed. “What a good boy. So eager to obey.” He ran his fingers through his hair, gently scratching at the scalp. It felt nice, soothing. That comfort was ripped away in a second by Strength suddenly tugging at his hair. Arthur gasped. 

Strength returned to simply petting him, being gentle and soft all over again, lulling Arthur into a sense of security. He was still a little on edge, not knowing what Strength would do to him next. 

“Alright. Get up.” Strength said after several minutes of stroking Arthur’s hair. Arthur quickly obeyed. “Strip for us. Go slow.” 

The way Strength said _ us _ , drawing attention to the fact that Magic was still in the room, caused Arthur to shudder. He glanced at Magic out of the corner of his eye, noticing how he was staring at Arthur with rapt attention. 

Arthur turned his attention back to Strength, slowly shrugging off his jacket and hanging it on the back of the door. He then removed his tie, hanging it up beside the jacket. He started on his shirt, slowly popping open the first button. Strength watched appreciatively. 

He unbuttoned his shirt, peeling the fabric away from his chest more and more with each button, revealing more and more skin to Strength’s hungry eyes. By the time he finally removed his shirt, Strength was tenting his trousers. 

“Good boy.” Strength praised. “But I didn’t tell you to stop.” He gestured towards Arthur’s pants. 

Arthur thumbed open the buttons on his pants and slowly pulled down the zipper before pushing the pants down his legs. He kicked them off, struggling to get them off over his shoes. He had the distant thought that he should have removed his shoes first to make this sexier. But it was too late for that now.

He removed his shoes and socks, tossing them into a corner before sliding down his boxers, leaving him completely bare. He was the only one undressed. He felt like he was being gawked at, like some animal in a zoo, but in a way that was somehow arousing instead of humiliating. Or maybe it was a little bit of both. 

Strength circled him, simply admiring him without touching. “Gorgeous.” He murmured. “Such a pretty little slut.” He hummed, finally reaching out to grab a handful of Arthur’s ass. Arthur squeaked in surprise, jumping. 

Strength chuckled cruelly. “You’re so pretty for me.” He started kissing Arthur’s neck, sucking a dark mark into the skin that Arthur would have to try and hide at work the next day. Not that he was complaining. Strength’s teeth grazed against the mark and he bit down, causing a wave of heat to shoot straight to Arthur’s cock. 

Arthur moaned softly, tilting his head to the side to allow Strength better access. Strength smiled, reaching up a hand to trail his fingers down the column of Arthur’s neck. “What a beautiful boy you are.” He murmured. “Such a perfect specimen.” 

Arthur shuddered, swallowing harshly. “Th-Thank you.” He breathed out, surprised by how weak his voice sounded. 

“This is your first time subbing, hm?” Strength asked. “Well, believe me when I say I’m going to make it worth your while.” He bit down on his neck again. “Lay on your back on the bed.” He commanded, nudging Arthur forward. 

Arthur stumbled a bit, but he made his way to the bed and crawled on top of it. He rolled onto his back and waited, looking over at Magic, who was simply leaning against a wall and watching. He turned his attention back to Strength, who was maneuvering around in the cabinet. 

Strength eventually walked over to Arthur with several items in his hands. He had a pair of cuffs, a dark strip of fabric, a bottle of lube, and something else. It was small and purple, looking to be an almost cone shape, but with a more rounded tip. Arthur frowned as he looked at it. 

“What’s that?” Arthur asked, pointing to the unfamiliar item. 

“What, this?” Strength held it up with a grin. “This, my friend, is a vibrating anal probe.” He smirked. “I bet you can guess what it does from the name alone.” 

Arthur’s eyes widened. “Are you going to put that  _ in  _ me?” 

“That depends.” Strength said. “Do you want me to?” 

Arthur hesitated before exhaling slowly. He nodded, not trusting his voice. Arthur wasn’t one to do anything in half-measures. If he was going to sub, he was going to go all the way. 

“Perfect.” Strength grinned. “Put your arms up.” When Arthur did as he was told, Strength looped the cuffs through the headboard and attached them to Arthur’s wrists. “Does that feel comfortable?” 

Arthur tested them, tugging at the restraints slightly before nodding. 

“Good.” Strength grinned wickedly. “I’m going to blindfold you now. Just know that Magic and I are still here and that we’re watching you. The blindfold will make everything feel that much better. Okay?” 

Arthur took a deep breath. “Okay.” 

Strength took the strip of dark fabric and placed it over Arthur’s eyes, effectively blacking out everything around him. It was an opaque fabric and once it was tied around his eyes, Arthur couldn’t see a thing. He focused on his breathing, wondering what was to come next. 

“You look so beautiful.” Strength’s voice came from beside him. “Absolutely gorgeous. Doesn’t he, Magic?” 

At the mention of Magic, Arthur’s heart leapt in his chest. He found himself wanting Magic to agree, to compliment him. 

“He does.” Magic’s voice was further away, but was still clear. “He looks like a perfect present all laid out for you.” 

Strength chuckled. “He does, doesn’t he?” He agreed, his fingers running through Arthur’s hair in a soothing motion. The petting was even more comforting now that Arthur’s sight had been taken from him. 

“Now, William,” Strength began. “We’re going to start out simple. I’m going to suck you. I need you to tell me when you’re getting close to coming so I can stop. We don’t want things ending before they even begin, understood?” 

“Understood.” Arthur said, excitement and nervousness flooding through him all at once. He appreciated Strength telling him what he was going to do before he did it, as it eased his nerves. 

“Good boy.” Strength ran a hand through Arthur’s hair once more before disappearing. There was a tense moment where Arthur couldn’t feel or hear anything before a wetness was engulfing his cock. 

Arthur moaned, throwing his head back. He barely had enough time to register that Strength’s lips had wrapped around him before he was moving. Strength was extremely skilled, bobbing his head and taking Arthur down to the root, all while licking and sucking at him. He moved his head up so he could tongue at Arthur’s slit, causing sparks of pleasure to shoot through Arthur’s body. 

Arthur got lost in the sensations, in the feeling of a warm, wet mouth surrounding him. Strength didn’t stop moving for even a moment, alternating between sucking him all the way down, to suckling and licking at his head, to kissing and licking his way down his shaft. Arthur might even say that Strength was better at this than Magic, but that might have just been due to the blindfold amplifying everything. 

Soon, Arthur was squirming in his bindings, his breaths coming out in short bursts. He could feel his orgasm rapidly approaching. “I-I-” He moaned, head hitting the headboard. “I’m close. I’m close!” He practically screamed. 

In an instant, Strength was gone. Arthur whined at the loss, wanting to continue feeling the man’s mouth around his cock. Being suddenly left with nothing was frustrating and Arthur tugged at the cuffs, wanting to grab Strength’s head and force him back on his cock. Strength chuckled from somewhere on the bed. 

“That was good. That was so good.” Strength praised, his hand finding its way back into Arthur’s hair. “You did so good telling me. You make the most beautiful sounds when you’re about to come.” He stroked Arthur’s face. “Magic, didn’t he do so well?” 

Arthur was on high alert for Magic’s reply. He wanted Magic to praise him, to think that he did well. He wanted Magic’s approval. 

“He was perfect.” Magic confirmed.

Arthur visibly relaxed at Magic’s words and Strength seemed to notice. He chuckled. 

“William seems to enjoy it when you praise him.” He said offhandedly to Magic. “He seems so desperate for your approval.” He tugged lightly at Arthur’s hair, earning a whine. 

“Tell me, William, do you like when Magic praises you? Do you like when he talks to you?” Strength asked. 

Arthur hesitated, feeling his face turn red. He didn’t want to admit that he cared so much about what Magic thought. 

“Answer me.” Strength demanded, a dangerous tone in his voice. 

Arthur nodded slowly. 

“Good boy.” Strength hummed. “You like Magic, don’t you? That’s why you only go to him.” He mused. “I must admit, Magic is very good at what he does.” Arthur could hear the smirk in his voice. “I don’t blame you for wanting more of him.” There was the sound of a cap opening. 

Arthur felt a wet finger circling his hole and he tensed. He’d never had anything inside of him before and he wasn’t prepared. The finger didn’t try to enter, instead just circling and pressing lightly at his entrance. 

“I need you to relax.” Strength said. “This isn’t going to work if you don’t relax.” 

Arthur tried to do as he was told, he really did, but he couldn’t keep himself from tensing each time the finger came too close. 

Strength sighed. “Magic, come here.” He said and Arthur heard approaching footsteps. “Put yourself to good use and help him relax, why don’t you?” 

Arthur wondered what that could mean when he felt a dip in the bed and a wetness around his cock. He gasped, arching into the heat of what must have been Magic’s mouth. Yes, it was Magic’s mouth alright. Arthur was well acquainted with it. Magic leisurely sucked at him, moving slower than usual.

That was when Arthur felt the probing finger back at his entrance. This time, Arthur didn’t tense when it pushed at his rim and it slipped into him. It was a strange, unfamiliar feeling. Arthur couldn’t quite tell if he enjoyed it or not, so he focused on the feeling of Magic’s mouth around him. 

The finger moved around slowly, pressing and exploring. It wiggled around in a strange manner that Arthur wasn’t sure he could get used to. After several maddening minutes of this treatment, another finger joined the first. 

The addition of this second finger burned harshly. Arthur gasped and his hips involuntarily tried to pull away, but Magic’s hands held him in place. Arthur couldn’t help but to whimper as the fingers moved within him, stretching him out. 

The pain eventually subsided, but there still wasn’t any real pleasure. It was simply strange. By the time a third finger entered him, Arthur was close from Magic’s mouth alone. He whimpered and gritted his teeth through the pain. His approaching orgasm subsided somewhat due to the burn. 

Strength kissed his hip. “You’re doing so well for me.” He murmured. “You’re doing so, so wonderfully.” He continued moving his fingers within him. “You’re so beautiful like this. You should see the way your hole takes my fingers.” 

Arthur breathed heavily, allowing Strength to crook his fingers inside of him. Suddenly, Arthur jolted and cried out, his entire body jerking. 

“Oh, there it is.” Strength said, beginning to attack the spot inside of Arthur mercilessly.

And suddenly, there was pleasure to it. With each brush of Strength’s fingers, Arthur saw stars. He panted out, overwhelmed by the sensations of Strength’s fingers and Magic’s mouth. 

“I’m close! I’m close.” Arthur whined, feeling as though he might tumble over the edge at any moment. Magic’s mouth immediately left him and Strength’s fingers stilled within him. Arthur panted heavily, his chest rising and falling with each breath. He laid there for what felt like an eternity before he nodded slowly. “You can keep going.” 

“Oh, can I?” Strength teased, pulling his fingers free of Arthur. Arthur whined at the loss, but soon found the tip of something else pushing into him. It was an odd feeling and an odd shape. Arthur realized that it must have been the anal probe. He fidgeted, squirming as much as he could as it was eased into him. 

“Now, do you think if I make you come, that you can come again tonight?” Strength asked. 

Arthur hesitated, considering. He slowly nodded. “Yes. Yes, I think I can do it.” 

“Good boy.” Strength placed a kiss to his hip before turning the anal probe on. Arthur shouted as it buzzed to life, vibrating at a low level inside of him. It was a strange feeling, but a very pleasurable one. He wouldn’t have been able to quite describe the feeling if he tried. He adjusted to the feeling, letting out tiny pants of pleasure. 

The speed of the thing soon increased, causing Arthur to squirm even more. Then, he felt Strength’s mouth around his cock again. The combined sensations of the vibrating inside of him and the wet heat around him was exhilarating. Arthur couldn’t keep his hips from moving, from thrusting into Strength’s willing mouth. Periodically, the speed of the anal probe would increase, growing more intense. Soon, Arthur was whining and jerking in his restraints. It was all so much, too much. He cried out as he came, spilling down Strength’s throat. The vibrations stopped and Strength pulled off of his softening cock. 

Arthur panted, feeling tingly and exhausted. That was probably the most intense orgasm of his life. He breathed heavily, just laying there and waiting to feel his strength return to him. 

After what felt like hours, Strength spoke up. “Think you’re ready to go again?” 

Arthur hesitated. Truth be told, he didn’t know if he could get it up again, but he wanted to try. He nodded. 

“Good boy.” Strength eased the anal probe from Arthur’s sore ass, causing him to whimper. “You’re okay. You’re alright. I’m here.” Strength assured him. “I'm right here and so is Magic.” He wrapped a hand around Arthur’s cock, slowly stroking him. “He’s looking at you like he’s never seen anything so hot.” 

Arthur couldn’t suppress a whine, imagining the way Magic must have been looking at him. He shivered at the thought of Magic stroking himself to the sight of Arthur coming. 

“You should see how hard Magic is right now.” Strength continued. “He’s straining through his pants just from watching you.” He continued coaxing Arthur back to hardness. “He’s practically drooling.” 

Arthur’s erection slowly returned as he listened to Strength’s words. 

There was something pushing against Arthur’s entrance. Something large and slippery. It slowly forced its way inside and Arthur gasped, his toes curling. Strength’s cock filled him up in a way the anal probe hadn’t. He whimpered at the stretch, but allowed himself to give himself over to the sensations. 

Strength fully sheathed himself within Arthur before he began to withdraw and push back in. He started with a slow and steady pace, quickly building up speed. It didn’t take long before Strength was gripping Arthur’s hips harshly and pistoning himself within him, each thrust hitting against that spot inside of Arthur that made him moan. 

“You want Magic to be the one fucking you, don’t you?” Strength said. “You want his cock more than mine.” He was fucking into him at a brutal pace. “You want everything from him and him alone.”

Arthur couldn’t quiet the moans that were tumbling from his lips. 

“Magic doesn’t fuck anyone. He’s too much of a submissive for that, but what do you think he’d do to you if he actually topped you?” Strength continued. “Do you think he’d fuck you roughly? Or do you think he’d be slow and gentle?” 

Arthur could barely keep up with what Strength was saying, too lost in the punishing pace he had set. 

“You want him. Say it. Say his name.” 

“Magic.” Arthur gasped out. “Magic. Magic. Magic.” He whimpered, unable to think of anything but Magic’s name.

Strength’s hand returned to his cock, flying over it and stroking him at a brutal pace. “That’s it. That’s it. Come on. Come for him.” 

Arthur couldn’t stop himself from obeying, his hips jerking wildly as he came with Magic’s name on his lips. He saw white and then collapsed onto the bed, still feeling Strength fuck into him for a few more thrusts before he was spilling deep within him. 

Strength pulled out after a moment, removing Arthur’s blindfold and uncuffing him. Arthur was unable to get his breathing under control. 

Strength grinned at him. “So, how was your first time subbing?” 

Arthur blinked at him, unable to find his words. “Incredible.” He breathed out eventually, his eyes scanning the room before landing on Magic, who smiled. 

“Good.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't be afraid to tell me what you think! I work really hard on this fic and any feedback is much appreciated!


	15. What is Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Baby don't hurt me. Don't hurt me. No more.

Gwen slowly awoke to an empty bed and a heavy feeling in her chest. The night before had been the first time she’d slept with someone without being paid in a long, long time. She had been hesitant to do so, but Lancelot had been so nice and had continuously asked her if everything he was doing was okay. 

The sex hadn’t even been kinky. It had been sweet and tender, with Lancelot cradling her face and kissing her deeply. It had been nice. Gwen had genuinely enjoyed it, had felt happy and sated afterwards. 

But now Lancelot was gone.

She should have known. She should have known that he’d leave before she awoke, should’ve known that he was only using her for her body. That was all anyone cared about. People played nice, pretended to care, but they were always gone by morning, leaving Gwen sore and alone. 

For a moment, Gwen had genuinely believed that Lancelot was different. He’d seemed so genuine, had bought a night with her just so the two of them could talk. Gwen had been creeped out at first, had thought that he was some kind of creepy stalker or something of the like. But he’d just talked with her all night, had made her smile, had made her laugh. He’d given her his number at the end of the night, but hadn’t pressured her to reach out to him at all. Which was precisely why she had reached out. 

They’d been on a few dates, had enjoyed lunches and dinners together. He’d even gone so far as to pack a picnic for them to enjoy. He was a sweet man, a kind man. So when they had ended up alone together, Gwen had been willing to give him what he wanted. 

But he was gone now. And Gwen was alone again. 

She blinked past her tears, wiping her eyes furiously. She wouldn’t cry. Not over a man. He wasn’t worth it. She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she didn’t notice the smell wafting in from the kitchen. 

She looked up when she heard footsteps approaching. To her surprise, Lancelot stood in the doorway with a plate piled high with food. He smiled at her. 

“Breakfast is ready.” He announced, setting the plate down on her nightstand. “I didn’t know what you would like, so I made a bit of everything.” He admitted sheepishly. 

Gwen just stared at him, warmth flooding through her. He hadn’t left after all. He had stayed. And staying was the most noble decision he could have made. 

A smile played at her lips and she reached out to take his wrist in her hand. He turned his head to look at her and she captured his lips in a kiss. “Thank you.” She said softly once they pulled apart. 

“It’s no trouble at all.” He responded immediately. “I thought you might be hungry.” 

She chuckled, not knowing how to tell him that she hadn’t been thanking him for breakfast at all. She just sat up and placed the plate of food into her lap. There were pancakes, veggie bacon, and eggs all neatly arranged. 

She dug in, enjoying the meal immensely. It was sweet of Lancelot to have prepared her such a fine feast. 

The two of them spent the rest of the morning together. They ate together, cuddled in bed together, took a morning shower together, and overall went through Gwen’s usual morning routine together. It was nice, having someone be there while she got ready for the day. 

Lancelot reluctantly told her that he had to leave for work. She kissed him goodbye and he left. Gwen found herself smiling for the rest of the day. 

As she sat on her couch, watching television, she found her thoughts drifting to someone else. 

Morgana. 

The two of them had hung out several times since Morgana had given Gwen her number, but they had never gone beyond kissing outside of Camelot. Morgana still came to Camelot often and paid Gwen for her services, but outside of Camelot, it was almost like they were real friends. 

It was nice, having a friend. It wasn’t as though Morgana was Gwen’s  _ only _ friend. Merlin and Gwaine were her friends too. But that just felt different somehow. Gwen liked having a friend who was a woman, for one thing. Plus, she didn’t work with her. 

Gwen sat on her couch, thinking about the woman she called _ Mistress _ . She was certainly a well-performing dom. She seemed kind and open-hearted. She had defended Gwen in front of her father. Could they become something more than friends? Did Gwen want them to be more than friends? 

She grabbed a pillow and screamed into it, venting out her frustration and uncertainty. She didn’t know what she wanted. She didn’t know at all. 

She really liked Lancelot, but she liked Morgana too. She doubted either of them would feel comfortable sharing her with the other. And they were both technically clients, even if Lancelot had only visited that once. She was getting herself into something messy. 

She sighed and leaned back on the couch, considering her options. Being with Lancelot was probably the safer bet, as they had something resembling a normal relationship. But she couldn’t just ignore her growing feelings for Morgana. She had to face Morgana each time the woman visited Camelot. 

She steeled herself and made up her mind. She would just have to tell each of them how she felt. That was all. She wasn’t a child who ran away from her feelings. She would talk to them, have an adult conversation about this. 

Lancelot was at work, so she would have to speak first to Morgana. She picked up her phone and dialed the woman’s number, trying to still her beating heart. 

“Hello?” Morgana picked up. 

“Morgana? Hey!” Gwen kept her tone light and cheerful. “How are you?” 

“I’m doing alright. Just relaxing. How about you?” 

“I’m doing quite well.” Gwen chewed on her lip. “Actually, I wanted to speak to you about something.” 

“I’m all ears.” 

Gwen took a breath. “What are you expecting from our relationship? I know we’re somewhat friends, but are you expecting anything more out of this?”

There was a moment of silence on the other end. “I don’t expect anything from you, Gwen.” Another pause. “But what do you want from this?” 

Gwen hesitated. “I don’t know.” She admitted. “I don’t know at all.” She fidgeted a bit. “I like you, Morgana. I like you a lot.” She paused. “But I like someone else too.” 

“You do?” Morgana sounded surprised. “Tell me about them?” 

That was all it took for Gwen to launch into a spiel. “Oh, Morgana, he’s wonderful.” She sighed dreamily. “He’s such a gentleman and always asks before doing anything at all. He asks before he holds my hand, before he kisses me, before he does anything.” She smiled to herself as she thought of him. “We slept together and he was so  _ gentle _ . He didn’t pressure me or push me. He looks at me like I created the world and the universe.” She went on. “This morning, he didn’t leave before I woke up. Instead, he made me  _ breakfast _ .” She couldn’t stop smiling. “And we spent the morning together. He treats me so well and it’s so nice to be with someone who doesn’t just want me for their own pleasure. He seems to genuinely care about me and my feelings.” 

“He sounds like quite the catch.” Morgana said. 

“He really is.” Gwen sighed. “The first night we met, he bought a night with me just so he could talk to me after seeing me teach a bondage class.”

“Wait, he found out where you worked after seeing you once?” Morgana asked. “And then paid for your time?”

“It’s not like that.” 

“It sounds pretty bad.” 

“No.” Gwen said hastily. “We have a mutual friend and it was his idea for him to buy a night with me. He told him where I worked.”

“Your friend sounds pretty shitty. He shouldn’t tell total strangers where you work.” There was a hint of possessiveness in Morgana’s voice. 

“Well, he wasn’t a total stranger to him.” Gwen defended. “And I thought it was weird at first too, but he turned out to be really nice. I don’t meet guys like him everyday.” 

“Well, if you like him so much, you should be with him.” Morgana said. 

“What about you?” 

“What about me?” 

“I like you too.” Gwen admitted. “I don’t want to have to choose between you.” 

“Then don’t.” 

“What?” 

“Don’t choose.” Morgana said it as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. “If he’s okay with it, I don’t mind sharing you.”

“You don’t?” Gwen couldn’t keep the surprise out of her voice. 

“Not at all.” Morgana said casually. “And I’m willing to continue paying you at Camelot if you want me to.” 

“Not if we’re in a relationship.” Gwen said. “That wouldn’t feel right.” 

“Alright. Then I won’t pay you.” 

Gwen hesitated. “You’re really okay with me being with you both?” 

“I really am.” Morgana said genuinely. 

“Thank you.” It felt as though a weight had been lifted from Gwen’s shoulders. “Thank you.” 

“No need to thank me.” Morgana said dismissively. “Besides, you still have to ask your man if it’s okay with him.” 

“Right.” She paused. “If he says no, I’ll choose you.” She decided. She would choose Morgana because Morgana wasn’t making her choose. 

“That’s sweet of you.” Gwen could hear the smile in her voice. “I’m sorry, but I have to go. I’ll see you later?” 

“Yeah. I’ll see you.” Gwen said before listening as Morgana hung up. Her heart was beating quickly in her chest. She didn’t know how long she could wait before asking Lancelot. She didn’t want to wait, but she had to. She didn’t want to disturb him at work.

She waited until she was getting ready for work to call him. To her surprise, he answered almost immediately. 

“Hello?” 

“Lancelot, hi.” Gwen was gathering her things for work. “So, I wanted you to know that I really, really like you.” He started speaking, but she cut him off. “But I like someone else too.” 

There was a moment of silence. “Oh. I see.” There was a sadness in his voice. “If there’s someone else, you should be with them.” He said. “I don’t want to hold you back.” 

“Well, that’s just the thing.” She put a pair of panties into her bag. “She said that she’s willing to share me. If it’s okay with you.” 

The silence lasted so long that Gwen was beginning to think that the call had dropped by the time Lancelot finally spoke. “So you could be with both of us?”

“If that’s okay with you.” 

“So, I could still be with you?” 

“Yes.” 

More silence. 

“Okay.” Lancelot said after a long moment. “As long as I can be with you, I don’t care who else you’re with.” 

“You mean that?” Gwen’s heart swelled inside of her chest.

“I do.” He confirmed. 

“Thank you.” Gwen smiled. “Thank you.” 

“There’s no need to thank me for anything.” Lancelot said. “Can I see you tomorrow? Maybe we could go for a walk in the park?”

“I’d like that.” 

“Perfect. It’s a date.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was pretty weak, but I still enjoyed writing it and I hope you enjoyed reading it! Please leave comments as they fill my heart with love!


	16. Merlin

Work was stressful. Arthur was growing frustrated by just how little his partners and employees actually listened to him. He looked forward to Tuesdays as if they were his salvation. They were becoming all he had to look forward to. 

Ever since he’d subbed for Strength, he’d had more pent up energy than ever. He hadn’t expected to enjoy subbing nearly as much as he had. He found himself thinking about how it had all felt when he was in bed with his hand wrapped around his cock. He found himself imagining Magic being the one who loomed above him, fucking into him at a brutal pace. 

He knew that it was only a fantasy, that Magic didn’t feel comfortable topping. But Arthur didn’t feel the need to fact-check his sexual fantasies. 

There was something else he wanted to try too. 

He had reacted badly the first time he’d hit Magic, but a part of him had enjoyed it. In fact, his enjoyment was what had caused him to react badly in the first place. He wanted to try again now that he knew what to expect. 

When he walked into room number twelve, the first thing he noticed was how tense Magic appeared. He could see it in his body language, in the way he rose stiffly and methodically from the bed, the way his expression was a mask of no emotion. 

Arthur frowned, looking Magic up and down. “You okay?” He asked, not wanting to initiate anything if his partner wasn’t in the right headspace. 

“I’m fine.” Magic said shortly. 

Arthur raised an eyebrow, disbelieving. 

Magic sighed. “I’ll _ be _ fine.” He amended. “It’s nothing to worry about.” 

“Do you want to talk about it?” 

“No.” 

“Okay.” Arthur didn’t push. “Are you ready to do a scene tonight? We don’t have to if you’re not feeling up to it.” 

Magic shook his head. “Believe me, I  _ definitely _ want to do a scene.” He said sincerely. “It’ll help me get out of my head.” 

“Okay.” Arthur nodded. “I want to try hitting you again tonight. Is that okay?”

Magic’s reaction was immediate. “God, yes.” He said quickly, concerningly eager to be beaten. 

“Alright.” Arthur took a breath. “Strip.” He commanded, surprised when Magic nearly tripped over himself in his hurry to obey. Usually Magic would have some quip or something to say, but tonight he just wanted to obey. “Bend over the bed.” 

Magic silently did as he was told, throwing himself over the bed with his ass slightly in the air. 

Arthur made his way to the cabinet, searching for something to make this a little more interesting. He grabbed a blindfold and a pair of cuffs before moving toward Magic. He pulled the dark-haired man’s arms behind his back, cuffing his wrists together before applying the blindfold. Magic didn’t make a peep during the whole thing. 

“How many hits do you think you can take?” Arthur asked, one hand massaging the cheek of Magic’s ass. 

“As many as you feel is necessary, sir.” Magic replied instantly, his voice devoid of its usual snark. 

Arthur frowned. “But what’s the limit of how much you can take?” He asked seriously. “How many hits would it take for you to safeword?” 

There was a moment of hesitation. “I don’t know, sir.” Magic admitted. “I’ve never safeworded from just a spanking. Not with a hand, anyway.” 

“Alright.” Arthur nodded approvingly, lightly pinching Magic’s ass. “You enjoy being hit, don’t you?” He needed to hear it, needed to know that he wasn’t inflicting pain on someone who didn’t want it. 

“Yes, sir.” 

“Does it arouse you?” 

“Yes, sir.” 

“Can you get hard just from being hit?” He asked. “Can you get off on it?” 

“Yes, sir. I get hard from being hit.” Magic said. “I can’t get off on being hit alone, but I can come pretty close.” 

“Hm.” Arthur imagined Magic spilling all over himself from the act of being hit alone. The thought had Arthur biting at his lip. “I’m going to spank you until I think you’ve had enough.” He said. “You are to be as vocal as you like.” He hesitated. “You are to tell me how much you enjoy it.” He continued rubbing the flesh of Magic’s ass. “And if I overstep or you become even the slightest bit uncomfortable, you are to tell me to stop. Understood?” 

“Yes, sir.” Magic quickly nodded his head.

“Good.” Arthur brought his hand down hard on Magic’s ass, earning a squeak from the man. He exhaled shakily, closing his eyes. Magic wanted this. He liked it. Arthur had to keep reminding himself of that. 

With each slap, Arthur watched Magic’s cheeks redden. Magic stayed true to his word and made noises each time Arthur’s hand connected with his flesh. He moaned and gasped and pushed his ass back into Arthur’s touch. 

Arthur found a steady rhythm, slapping Magic’s ass in patterns. Magic responded well to each strike upon him. He started rutting against the mattress, desperate to relieve the mounting pressure. 

“Yes. Yes.” Magic moaned. “More. Harder. Please, sir.” He begged. 

Arthur obliged, his hand coming down so hard on Magic’s pink skin that his palm started to hurt. Arthur wanted to see Magic come from this and this alone. He wanted to watch as Magic couldn’t control himself any longer, as he gave himself over to Arthur completely. 

Arthur paused in his hits, just watching as Magic whined and desperately rubbed himself against the blankets. “Please, sir.” Magic whined. “Please. I need more. More.” Arthur could hear the tears in his voice. 

“Don’t move.” Arthur ordered before making his way to the cabinet. He pulled out a toy in the shape of a large cock with a remote attached to it. He returned to Magic with the toy and a bottle of lube. He lubed up his fingers before pressing two of them within Magic with no warning. Magic gasped and moaned, pushing back against the fingers. 

It didn’t take long to prepare him and Arthur wasted no time before lubing up the toy and pushing it into the man. Magic gasped and grunted, making tiny noises in the back of his throat. 

“Sir, please.” He whimpered. 

Arthur took the remote and turned the toy onto the second vibration setting. Magic whined, trying to properly fuck himself on the toy. Arthur smirked and stepped back. 

“I’m going to continue spanking you now.” He said. “You either come from the spanking combined with the toy or you don’t come at all. Understood?” 

“Y-Yes, sir.” Magic whined, his hands flexing in the cuffs. 

“Good.” Arthur returned to hitting Magic, each blow harder than the last. Magic continued making his delicious noises. Arthur put all of his strength into the hits, enjoying how Magic jerked forward with each blow. He could hear the wetness to Magic’s voice as he moaned and cried out. 

“I’m close. I’m close. I’m so close, sir.” Magic babbled. “I’m so close. Don’t stop. Please.” He begged. 

Arthur continued landing blow after blow, watching as Magic squirmed and cried. After a few more hits, Magic stiffened, tensing, before his mouth opened in a loud cry and he was spending himself all over the bed before collapsing. 

Arthur switched off the toy and eased it from Magic’s hole before uncuffing him and pulling off the blindfold. He rolled Magic over and saw how tears were streaming down his face. His eyes were glassy and far-away. 

Arthur frowned. “Magic?” He asked gently. He was met with no response. “Magic? Magic, hey.” He cupped his face. “Magic, look at me.” 

His eyes slowly returned to focus, searching Arthur’s face. “Hi.” He said quietly. 

“Hey.” Arthur responded. “You okay?” 

Magic nodded slowly, but he didn’t seem totally okay. “ ‘m fine.” He murmured. “It was good.” 

“Yeah? You liked it?” Arthur stroked Magic’s sweaty hair back. 

Magic nodded. 

“Good. That’s good.” Arthur felt like now wouldn’t be a good time to continue the scene. “How about we get you cleaned up?” He suggested, gathering Magic into his arms and picking him up. He carried him to the bathroom that was attached to the room and set him down. Magic stood on unsteady legs for a moment before just sitting down on the floor. 

Arthur started running the shower, making sure that the temperature was perfect. “Alright. Do you wanna get in the shower?”

“Join me?” Magic requested, looking up at him with the sweetest puppy-dog eyes. 

“Yeah. Yeah, I can do that.” Arthur couldn’t find it within himself to refuse. He undressed before leading Magic under the spray. 

Magic leaned against his chest and Arthur wrapped his arms around him, holding him close. “So, Magic-”

“Merlin.” Magic said softly. 

“Huh?” 

“My name is Merlin.” 

“Oh.” Arthur was surprised that Magic was telling him this. “Merlin.” He repeated. “That’s a good name. It suits you.” 

“Thanks.” He murmured. “My mother chose it.” 

Arthur chuckled. “Well, she has good tastes.” 

Merlin smiled lazily. “Yeah. Guess so.” 

Arthur held Merlin close as they showered. As time passed, Merlin seemed to become more aware of his surroundings and seemed more like himself. By the time they got out of the shower, Merlin seemed like himself again. 

“Do you want to talk about what happened?” Arthur asked. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Like, why you got so weird after you came?” 

Merlin sighed. “It was nothing.” He insisted. “I was just really tense before the scene and the scene was exactly what I needed.” He said. “So I dropped a little bit afterwards.” 

“Why were you tense before the scene?” 

Merlin sighed, biting his lip. “That’s really not something I should be telling a client.” 

“You can trust me.” Arthur insisted. “Please.”

Merin hesitated before sighing and sitting down on a clean area of the bed. “There’s a girl who works here.” He began. “And she doesn’t want to work here. She was trafficked and now she feels trapped. She’s being abused by a bodyguard here.” He looked down at the ground. “And I want to help her get out, but I don’t know how.” 

Arthur was horrified. “Can’t you go to the police?”

Merlin shook his head. “This place is technically illegal. We’re a brothel.” He explained. “If the police admit that they know this place exists, they’ll have to shut us down.” He sighed deeply. “They turn a blind eye to us because the owner pays them off.” 

Arthur frowned. “So there’s nothing you can do?” 

“Not that I know of.” 

Arthur considered. “Maybe I can help.”

“How?” 

“I can give your friend a place to stay.” He offered. “I might even be able to find her some employment. That could help her get on her feet.” 

Merlin stared at him. “Who are you that you can afford to do all that?” 

Arthur shrugged. “I’m just trying to help.” 

Merlin chewed on his lip. “I’ll talk to her about it.” He said. 

“Good.” Arthur nodded. “I can give you my number so you can call and we can figure this all out?”

“I don’t usually accept numbers from clients.”

“This is a special circumstance, isn’t it?” 

“Yeah. Yeah, it is.” Merlin nodded. “Okay.”

Arthur recited his number so that Merlin could put it into his phone. “Call me if you need anything.” He said sincerely. “We’ll help this friend of yours, I promise.” 

Merlin offered a small smile. “Thanks. It means a lot.” 

“Anything for you.” The words slipped out before Arthur could stop them. He blushed, but found that they were true. He  _ would  _ do anything for Merlin. 

And wasn’t that a terrifying thought?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments!


	17. Girls Day Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so happy with this chapter. I hope you enjoy it!

Freya was sitting in the staff room, brushing out her hair when Gwen took a seat next to her. Freya looked over at the other woman, somewhat surprised. Gwen seemed nice, she seemed really nice, but Freya didn’t know her very well. 

Freya mostly kept to herself and if she did speak to anyone, it was Merlin. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust anyone else, it was just that she was never totally comfortable around people she didn’t know. Talking to Merlin that first night had been a fluke. 

Gwen smiled kindly at her, still dressed in her sexy lingerie from work. “Hey, Freya.” She said warmly. 

“Hi.” She responded in a small voice, hating how quiet and meek she sounded. 

“Tomorrow the girls are planning on going out to have some fun. Do you want to come?” She offered. 

“What kind of fun?” 

“We don’t know yet.” Gwen admitted. “But once every two months or so, some of the girls get together and just hang out. It’ll be lots of fun.” 

Freya considered for a moment. She didn’t know if Halig would allow her to go, even if she wanted to. “Who all will be there?” She tucked a strand of her brown hair behind her ear. 

“Me, Morgause, Mithian, Isolde, and Sophia.” She informed her. “And I think Sophia is bringing her girlfriend. If it’s alright with everyone else, I might invite my girlfriend too.” 

Freya gnawed at her lip, thinking. That sounded like a lot of people. Freya didn’t do well in crowds, but large groups were also safer. It sounded like it would be a nice time spent with people who were nice to her. Freya found herself desperately wanting to go. 

“I’ll have to ask Halig.” She said quietly. 

Gwen frowned. “You shouldn’t have to ask anyone permission to hang out with your friends.” She told her gently. 

“Are we friends?” Freya asked softly, looking into Gwen’s eyes and searching her expression. 

“I would like us to be.” Gwen smiled. “Come on. What do you say?” She took Freya’s hand. “You can even stay at my place tonight if it makes things easier.” 

Freya would love that. She would love to spend a night away from Halig, just one night. She slowly nodded. “Okay.” She said quietly, knowing that she would regret this later. “I’d like that.” 

Gwen broke into a beaming grin. “Perfect! Let me change out and then we can go.” She said as she rose to her feet. Freya smiled and nodded, continuing to brush out her hair. 

Her heart was hammering inside of her chest. This was a terrible idea. Halig wouldn’t be happy when she didn’t show up at home that night. But no, she deserved this one night of happiness, the one little bit of joy. 

She thought of the phone number Merlin had given her. The number of a client who had offered to help. She could call it. She might even find a way out of this mess. But she wouldn’t. This client was just another man. A man who wanted to use her, most likely. Why else would he offer to help? 

She packed up her makeup and clothes before standing awkwardly as she waited for Gwen to finish. Once Gwen was ready, she smiled at Freya. 

“Ready to go?” She asked, a chipper tone in her voice. 

Freya nodded silently and allowed Gwen to lead her out of the building and to her car. Freya climbed into the passenger seat, her breathing heavy. She knew that Halig would be waiting for her. It wasn’t too late to exit the vehicle and go back to him. She might not even get in trouble. 

Gwen glanced over at her. “Hey, are you okay?” 

She nodded slowly. “I’m fine.” It was a lie. 

“Okay.” Gwen didn’t push and they made the relatively short journey to her apartment. Gwen led her to the second story apartment and unlocked the door, leading Freya inside. 

It was relatively small, but richly decorated. There were photographs on the walls and small trinkets placed on the counters. It felt nice, like a home. Freya felt more at ease as soon as she stepped foot inside. 

“Can I get you anything to drink?” Gwen offered. 

Freya shook her head. “I’m okay.” She said, not wanting to intrude or to be a bother. 

She slowly made her way to the couch and sat down, staring vacantly at a wall. Gwen watched her with concern written across her face. 

“Well, what would you like to order for dinner? We can eat anywhere at all, as long as they deliver.” Gwen smiled. 

“I’m fine with anything.” Freya hugged her knees to her chest in a subconscious attempt to make herself appear smaller. She wasn’t the one in charge of decisions, she never was. 

“Alright. How about pizza? It’s simple enough, right?” Gwen sat beside Freya on the couch. 

Freya shrugged. “Okay.”

They ordered their pizzas, Gwen even allowing Freya to choose her own toppings. Once the order was placed, Gwen turned on the television so they could watch something. They ended up sitting in silence as they watched a sit-com. It wasn’t very good. 

When there was a knock on the door, Freya jumped, her heart leaping into her throat. Surely it was Halig, coming to collect her. Her eyes widened in fear and she looked worriedly at Gwen, who had already risen to answer it. Freya wanted to cry out, to scream, to beg Gwen to come back, to not open the door. 

But she did and it was only the pizza. Freya audily exhaled as Gwen returned with the pizzas. The two of them ate together, Gwen attempting to make small talk and Freya responding with one or two words. Gwen didn’t appear bothered by Freya’s lack of interest in conversation and did most of the talking for her.

The night passed and Gwen helped Freya set up a comfortable spot on the couch. But as soon as Gwen padded off to her own bed, Freya couldn’t help but to stare at the ceiling, wide awake. She thought of Halig, of what he was going to do to her once she returned to him. She swallowed, fighting back tears. 

But she couldn't help it as the tears began to flow. She buried her face in a pillow to quiet the sound of her crying, not wanting Gwen to be angry with her for waking her. She didn’t know how long she laid there, just crying to herself before she heard footsteps approaching. 

“Freya?” Gwen’s voice was groggy and Freya felt a flash of guilt for waking her. “Freya, what’s wrong?” She didn’t sound angry or judgemental at all and that just made Freya cry harder.

Gwen took a seat on the couch, gathering Freya into her arms and holding her. Freya buried her face in Gwen’s neck, trying to get herself under control without much success. 

Gwen rubbed her back and soothed her, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head. “It’s alright.” She assured her. “It’s okay. Everything is going to be just fine.” 

Freya eventually calmed, her breathing evening out and her eyes drying. She sniffled, wiping away her tears. “I’m s-sorry.” She breathed out, so certain that Gwen must hate her. 

“It’s alright.” Gwen assured. “There’s nothing to apologize for.” She promised her. “You’ve done nothing wrong.”

“But I-” Freya could have listed off a million things she had done wrong, but she didn’t want to. She shook her head. “Okay.” She said quietly. “Okay.” 

Gwen nodded firmly. “Do you want to sleep in my bed with me?” She offered. 

“I think I’d like that.” Freya sniffled, allowing Gwen to lead her towards her bedroom. The two women laid in bed, Freya’s head laying against Gwen’s chest. She felt protected, safe. She finally managed to drift off to sleep. 

The next day, Gwen allowed Freya to borrow one of her dresses to wear while they went out. They met the other women at a small diner. 

“Hey!” Gwen greeted Mithian and Isolde, who were already there when they arrived. 

“Hey.” Mithian smiled, wearing a tight fitting crop top and a short leather jacket. Freya found herself staring. Halig would never let her out of the house wearing something like that unless she was actively selling herself. It was surprising to know that Mithian wore revealing clothing by  _ choice _ . 

“Look who you managed to drag with you.” Isolde smirked as she looked at Freya. 

Freya tensed, feeling unwelcome. “I can go.” She said quickly, but Isolde shook her head. 

“That’s not what I meant.” She said. “Relax. We’re glad to have you here.” 

“O-Oh.” Freya flushed. “I’m glad.” 

“Should we go ahead and get a table?” Mithian suggested. “The others should be here soon enough.” 

“You guys go ahead.” Gwen said. “I’m going to call Morgana and see where she is.” 

“Alright.” Mithian agreed, leading Isolde and Freya inside. They got a large table so that all the girls would have a seat. Mithian and Isolde sat across from each other. Freya took a seat beside Mithian. 

Isolde and Mithian chatted with one another, mostly ignoring Freya, which was fine by her. She didn't have much to say anyway. She found herself relieved when Gwen made her way inside, flanked by a beautiful woman with black hair. 

Gwen sat across from Freya and the woman sat beside her. “Everyone, I’m sure you know Morgana.” She introduced. 

“I certainly know of her.” Isolde said with a smirk. “You’re supposedly a legendary dom.” 

Morgana laughed. “I don’t know if I would say legendary.” 

“Are you kidding? Practically all of the female subs and switches talk about the magnificent Morgan.” Mithian argued. 

“If you’re that good, why aren’t you working with us?” Isolde questioned. 

Morgana laughed. “I’m not interested in this line of work.” She said. “Besides, I think working with my sister would be a bit weird in this profession.” 

“I keep forgetting that Morgause is your sister.” Gwen murmured. “I don’t think I’ll ever adjust to that.” 

Morgana threw an arm around Gwen’s shoulders. “I’m just glad you haven’t slept with her.” 

Everyone laughed except for Freya, who simply smiled politely. 

Speaking of Morgause, she was the next person to arrive, taking the seat next to Freya. She smiled and greeted everyone, joining in on the conversation easily. 

Sophia came in not too long later, joined by a beautiful blonde woman. They took their seats, apologizing profusely for being late.

“Everyone, this is my girlfriend, Elena.” Sophia introduced. 

“Hello.” Elena said awkwardly. 

The conversations went on, but both Freya and Elena weren’t really included in on them. Elena looked around with a bored expression on her face before looking across the table at Freya. “I like your nose.” She said. “It’s really unique.” 

Freya was taken aback by the bizarre compliment, but she found herself smiling. “Thank you.” She said quietly. “You’re very kind.” 

Elena merely shrugged. “Most people think I’m just weird.” She said with an awkward smile. “Everyone but Sophia.” She glanced at her girlfriend fondly. “She likes my eccentricities.” 

“That’s good.” Freya said. “You should find someone who likes you for you.”

Elena nodded quickly. “I agree! I could never be with someone who thought I was weird.” She giggled a bit too loudly. “I mean, I am a bit weird, I suppose. Like, I hate shoes. Shoes are so uncomfortable.” She rambled. 

“They are.” Freya agreed. “I don’t like them very much either.” 

And so Elena and Freya spoke about their various likes and dislikes. Freya found it surprisingly easy to talk to Elena, who accepted everything she said without question. She didn’t judge her in the least. It was nice.

By the time their food arrived, Freya was smiling and laughing along with Elena, feeling happier than she had in a long time. 

“Ooh, what did you get?” Elena asked eagerly. 

“Strawberry waffles.” Freya informed her. “I love strawberries. They’re my favorite.” 

“Strawberries are good!” Elena agreed. “I got chocolate chip pancakes. They’re very good. Do you want to try some?” 

“I’d love to.” And so the two women shared their food with one another. It was the most intimate thing Freya had done in ages that wasn’t sexual. It was just two friends sharing food. It filled Freya’s heart with joy. 

After breakfast, they all went shopping for lingerie to wear at work. Morgana and Elena were just there to support their girlfriends. Freya respectfully declined to shop for herself. 

As the other women were running around, trying on different types of lingerie, Isolde came up to Freya. 

“Hey.” She said gently. “I heard about your situation.” 

Freya’s eyes widened. “What situation?” She asked, her voice small and timid.

“I know you’re being abused.” Isolde said as though it was something casual, something that could be said out loud. “And I get it. I was in a similar position years ago.” She admitted. “If I hadn’t met Tristan, I probably still would be in that same situation.” 

“Who’s Tristan?” 

“My husband.” 

Freya stared blankly at the other woman. Husband? How could anyone have a husband in this line of work? Dating was one thing, but marriage was something completely different. How could anyone want to marry someone who sold themselves to others on a nightly basis?

“My point is that it gets better.” Isolde said. “I know it doesn’t seem like it right now, but it does.” She promised. “You won’t be stuck in this situation forever and you are capable of being loved. If you need anything, just let me know. I’ve got your back.” 

Freya didn’t know what to say, but she was spared having to say a word by Gwen emerging from the changing room in a black and red, lacy bustier. Her breasts were mostly exposed and Freya had to admit that she looked  _ good _ . 

Morgana whistled. “I hope you’re not just planning on wearing that to work.” She teased. 

Gwen laughed and wiggled her hips at Morgana, who slapped her ass playfully. 

Once everyone had bought the lingerie they wanted, they all made their way to a nearby arcade. Gwen happily bought Freya some tokens to use, just as she had paid for her meal at the diner. Freya didn’t know what she had done to deserve such a considerate friend. 

First, Freya played skee ball with Mithian, who absolutely crushed it. Next, Freya tried her hand at Pac-Man with Gwen cheering her on, but she wasn’t very good. What Freya  _ was _ good at turned out to be Dance Dance Revolution. She played with everyone at least once, beating the high score. She laughed happily once she did so, high-fiving all of the other women. 

She felt energized, invigorated. She felt like she could do anything. 

“You beat my high score.” Someone behind her said. She turned around to see a young man who looked awfully familiar. She suddenly recognized him as the young man who had been leaving Merlin’s room on her first night at Camelot. Her face went red and she hoped that he didn’t recognize her.

“I’m Mordred.” He said, extending his hand towards her. 

“Freya.” She took his hand and shook it. 

“I’m afraid that I must demand a rematch.” He said solemnly. “My honor depends on it.” 

Freya smiled a bit to herself. “You’re on.” 

The competition was tough, but Freya managed to barely beat Mordred two out of the three times they played. By the time they had finished, Freya was panting, sweaty, and utterly exhausted. But she’d had fun. She’d had genuine fun and she was happy.

“Alright, you win.” Mordred said, breathing heavily. “You win.” He grinned at her. “As a prize, I think it’s only fair that you get all of my tickets.” 

Freya accepted the tickets and exchanged them for a stuffed animal at the ticket counter. It was a large, fluffy cat toy and she immediately fell in love with it. She held it close to her chest and smiled at Mordred. 

“Thank you.” She said genuinely. “This was a lot of fun.” 

“Yeah, I had fun too.” Mordred grinned. “I’d love to do this again sometime.”

“Me too.” Freya admitted. 

“Do you want my number? There’s no pressure or anything.” He said quickly. “I just really enjoyed hanging out with you.” 

Freya considered. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ll call you.” She said. And she meant it. 

Mordred gave her his number shortly before all the women decided to play a round of laser tag. 

By the time it was time to return to work, Freya was smiling and laughing with the other women like they were family. 

And maybe, in a sense, they were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Freya/Mordred is a new ship of mine and I can't tell you why I like it so much, but I do. Please tell me what you think of them and if they should end up together!


	18. Queen vs Tyrant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lured you in with porn, but the joke's on you because this fic actually has a plot!  
> I promise there will be more porn soon, don't worry.

Lancelot loved Guinevere. He was in love with her. Absolutely and utterly. He had never loved anyone the way he loved her. 

She was simply perfect in every way. She was so kind and considerate, always thought about others and placed them above herself while still having a great deal of self-respect. She never let anyone look down upon themselves. She was amazing, pure and simple. Lancelot would do anything for her. 

They’d been together for a short while and already Lancelot knew he wanted to marry her someday. He wasn’t certain how it would work, as Gwen had another partner, but he knew that he loved her enough for them to be tied together forever. He loved her. Maybe the time wasn’t quite right, but eventually, with Morgana’s permission, he would propose. 

He was considering asking Gwen to move in with him. He wanted to be around her more and thought it would be nice for her to have someone to come home to each night. 

They were walking through the mall, hand in hand, and he was considering asking her. He would ask her later that day, so long as the mood stayed elevated. 

As they were walking, Lancelot heard a voice coming from behind them. 

“Rose?” 

Lancelot didn’t pay the voice any mind, but Gwen did, automatically turning around. When her gaze landed on the person who had spoken, the color drained from her face. 

Lancelot turned to see a man he did not recognize, but who appeared familiar approaching them. Gwen stiffened beside him, her grip on his hand tightening. 

“Rose, what are you doing here?” The man asked. It was only then that Lancelot remembered that Rose was Gwen’s working alias. Did this man pay her for sex? The thought made Lancelot a bit uncomfortable. He seemed far too old for her. But Lancelot supposed that it wasn’t his place to say anything. It was Gwen’s work and if she wasn’t made uncomfortable by it, then he shouldn’t either. 

Gwen shifted, a forced smile on her face. “Mr. Pendragon.” She greeted kindly. 

That was when Lancelot recognized the man as Uther Pendragon. He was a member of Parliament and a complete dickhead of a person. Lancelot’s expression soured. “What do you want?” He asked, stepping in front of Gwen and crossing his arms as he formed a protective barrier in front of her. 

“Lance.” Gwen said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I’ve got this.” 

He looked at her and stepped back, trusting her to have things under control. A million thoughts ran through his head. Did Uther Pendragon go to Camelot? Did he pay Gwen for sex? The thought of her sleeping with such a vile, thoughtless man angered him. He doubted that the man would treat her well. 

Uther frowned. “Rose, who is this man?” He demanded. 

“This is Lancelot.” Gwen smiled warmly, though Lancelot could tell it was forced. “He’s a friend of mine.” 

“You seem mighty close to just be friends.” Uther said suspiciously. 

“No offense, but how is this any of your business?” Lancelot asked, unable to hold his tongue. 

“It’s my business because this woman is romantically involved with my son.” Uther spat. “What she would be doing with someone like you when she has him is beyond me.”

Lancelot’s blood boiled. “She is not involved with anyone of the sort.” He insisted. “She’s involved with me and her girlfriend. No one else.” 

“Girlfriend?” Uther’s expression soured as he whirled on Gwen. “So she’s a dyke as well as a cheater.” He spat. 

“Don’t call her that!” Lancelot stood in front of her protectively. “She’s wonderful and perfect. She has a kinder heart than you could possibly comprehend.” 

“She’s a liar!” Uther snarled, appearing much like a rabid animal. “I will not stand for this.” He looked at Gwen. “You tell me the truth, woman, and you tell me now. Are you cheating on my son?”

“No, sir.” Gwen said, wringing her hands. “Because I was never involved with your son.”

“But Arthur-”

“Lied to you.” She spoke up, her chin held high. “You’re so wrapped up in your own self-image that you don’t even realize how desperately your son is trying to please you. He’s willing to erase every part of himself just so you can look on him with something akin to approval.” 

“Where did he find you, then? Were you just someone he picked up off the street?” He paused. “Did you bring Morgana in on this little game of yours too?” 

“No.” She looked straight into his eyes. “I’m an escort and your daughter used to pay me for sex.” She told him straight out. Lancelot finally made the connection that Morgana, Gwen’s  _ girlfriend _ Morgana, was Morgana Pendragon. Uther’s daughter. “But we’re in a happily committed relationship now.” 

Uther stepped back, looking horrified and disgusted. “You’re a _ whore _ .” 

“Yes, I am.” Gwen didn’t miss a beat. “And my name is Guinevere. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I am going to continue my date with my boyfriend.” She turned on heel and walked away. 

Both Lancelot and Uther stood, too stunned to move. It took a moment for Lancelot to process what had just happened before he jogged after Gwen. 

“Gwen.” She continued walking. “Guinevere.” He took her hand and spun her around. “Gwen, that was amazing!” He exclaimed. “You told him off beautifully.” 

“Is that all I am to you?” Gwen asked, tears in her eyes. “Beautiful? Something pretty for you to gawk at?” 

“What?” Lancelot was taken aback. “No. No, of course not.” He shook his head. “That’s not it at all.” 

“What is it, then?” She demanded. “Because everyone seems perfectly fine telling me how beautiful I am and nothing else.” 

Lancelot stared at her. “You are so much more than your beauty.” He thumbed away her tears, cradling her face. “You are the kindest person I have ever known. You are fierce and intelligent and you bow down to no one. You’re considerate and welcoming and you always try to do what’s best for others.” He kissed her forehead. “All these things and more are the reasons that I love you.” 

Gwen stiffened and Lancelot realized that he’d never actually said those words aloud before. He started to backpedal, started to tell her that it was okay if she didn’t return his feelings, but she cut him off with a kiss. 

“I love you too.” She said once she pulled away. “I love you so much.” She wrapped her arms around his waist. 

Lancelot wrapped his arms around her and held her close, never wanting to let go. “I’m proud of you for standing up to him.” 

“Yeah, well, Arthur’s not going to be too happy.” 

“Screw Arthur.” He murmured. “You deserve to be happy.” 

She sighed. “I’ll have to tell Morgana what happened so she can relay the news to Arthur.” 

“Alright.” He released her so she could make the call. He watched as she spoke across the phone to Morgana, explaining the situation. She was so strong, so wonderful. Lancelot couldn’t get enough of her. 

When Gwen hung up the phone, Lancelot couldn’t contain himself any longer. 

“Will you move in with me?” He blurted, seeing shock appear on Gwen’s face. “I mean, if you want to.” 

“Move in with you?” Gwen searched his face. “You want me to?” 

“Yeah.” Lancelot rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean, I think it might be nice. I could cook you dinner and be there for you once you get off of work.” He suggested. “And we could cuddle every night and spend time together.” He looked at the ground. “It sounds stupid, doesn’t it?” 

“I don’t think it sounds stupid at all.” Gwen smiled gently, reaching over to make Lancelot look at her. “I think it sounds really, really nice and it’s sweet that you’ve thought of these things.” 

Lancelot shrugged. “I just can’t imagine that it’s easy going home to an empty house after being put through so much at your job.” He said. “I don’t want you to have to go through anything alone.” 

Gwen smiled. “I’ll think about it.” She told him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “For now, let’s just enjoy our date, yeah?” 

“Okay.” Lancelot smiled. “I love you.” 

“I love you too.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me what you think! Do you think Lancelot is in character? I worry that I write him to out of character. Is Lancelot and Guinevere's relationship believable? I hope so! Please give feedback!


	19. Too Much

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter doesn't portray a healthy BDSM scene! Never enter a scene when you're upset or angry!

Arthur was furious. He wasn’t sure if he had ever been more angry in his life. He paced around his bedroom, flinging things at walls and upturning everything. His father knew that he wasn’t really in a relationship with Guinevere. He knew that Gwen was an escort. Arthur’s life was ruined. 

He knew logically that he shouldn’t still be so afraid of his father. Arthur was his own man with complete legal control over his father’s company. Uther wouldn’t have been able to take back control even if he wanted to due to his position in Parliament. Arthur had a stable life, a salary that would make most people faint, and he lived in a proper mansion. 

Still, the idea of being disinherited frightened him. Not because of the money he would lose or anything of the like, but because it would mean his father no longer viewed him as his son. All his life, Arthur had been fighting for his father’s approval. It couldn’t have all been for nothing. 

He sighed, smashing a vase against the wall before gripping his end table so tightly that his knuckles went white. It was a Tuesday. He was supposed to visit Merlin at Camelot today. He considered not going. It would be too dangerous. If his father found out he was visiting a brothel, he would surely kill him.

But then he thought about how good it would feel to have Merlin around him, to hear him crying out for him. Arthur quickly made up his mind. He would go. He would relieve some of this tension. 

He should have known better than to enter a scene while upset and angry. He should have known better. 

But emotions were running high and he wasn’t thinking clearly. He didn’t even think twice about it as he had Leon drive him to where he normally dropped him off on Tuesdays. He didn’t consider that it might not be the best idea even as he received his key card and made his way to room number twelve. 

Merlin sat on the bed, looking up as Arthur entered the room. He stood up, looking concerned when he saw the stormy expression on Arthur’s face. 

“Are you okay?” He asked, searching Arthur’s face for an answer.

Arthur didn’t respond, instead just turning his head away. ‘“Strip and lay on your front on the bed.” He commanded, shrugging off his jacket and hanging it up. When Merlin didn’t immediately obey, Arthur shot a glare at him. “I won’t tell you again.” He warned. 

Merlin hesitated another moment before doing as he was told, quickly sliding his pants and underwear down before making his way to the bed, laying down and presenting his ass to the air. 

Arthur tugged off his tie and shirt, draping them over a chair. He walked towards the cabinet, collecting a few items before making his way towards the bed. 

He tied the blindfold around Merlin’s eyes without warning and he yanked Merlin’s arms in place so he could cuff them behind his back. Merlin whined a little and wriggled around in his restraints. 

Arthur slapped him hard on the ass to keep him from moving. “There’s more where that came from if you don’t learn how to behave.” He growled, causing Merlin to choke on a light sound coming from the back of his throat. 

Arthur poured a generous amount of lube over his fingers and pressed two of them directly into Merlin. The dark-haired man winced at the stretch, but moaned when Arthur found that spot inside of him that made him see stars. Arthur attacked the spot several times, watching as Merlin jerked a bit, unable to go much of anywhere. 

“You are not to say a word until I’m done with you.” Arthur said, knowing just how hard that would be for Merlin. “If you obey, you’ll get to come. If you disobey, you’ll see just how mean I can be. Understood?” 

Merlin quickly nodded, biting down hard on his lip. 

“Good boy.” Arthur praised, pressing a kiss to Merlin’s ass before adding a third finger. He mercilessly attacked that spot inside of Merlin, causing Merlin to wiggle and moan, but he remained wordless, just as Arthur had instructed. Well, that just wouldn’t do. Arthur redoubled his efforts, continuously finger-fucking Merlin for several moments. When it became clear that Merlin wouldn’t break, Arthur took drastic measures. 

He removed his fingers and picked up one of the toys he had taken from the cabinet. It was large and penis-shaped, with a remote attached to it. Arthur wasted no time before ramming it into Merlin, causing the man to jerk forward. He whined loudly, but still didn’t utter a word. 

Arthur was growing frustrated with Merlin’s obedience, so he took the remote and powered the toy all the way up to ten. Merlin stiffed and gasped, words tumbling past his lips. 

“Oh, God.” 

Arthur smirked. “What did I say about talking?” He said dangerously. He turned off the toy to stop its vibrations and grabbed the last object he had taken from the cabinet. 

It was a heavy cane, long and firm. Arthur adjusted it in his hands to feel how heavy it was. He swung it through the air a couple of times, just seeing how it felt. It felt good. It would take a little practice for him to fully be able to control it, but what better way to practice than by using it? 

The first blow landed on the meat of Merlin’s ass. The dark-haired man gasped and jerked forward, as if trying to escape his punishment. Arthur landed another strike, listening as Merlin cried out. He landed another and another and another. 

“You are not to come.” Arthur demanded, turning the vibrating toy on to level five. 

“Look at you.” Arthur muttered, speaking over the noises Merlin was making. “Pathetic.” He spat the word out as though it disgusted him. “Can’t even obey a simple order.” He continued layering blow on top of blow. “Can’t even behave.” He started putting more swing into the blows, causing them to land harder. “You disgust me.” Arthur said. “Disgusting, worthless piece of shit.” He continued hitting him. “Can’t do anything right.” Was he talking about Merlin or about himself? “Fucking disappointment to everyone around you.” He didn’t even realize how long and how hard he’d been hitting Merlin until a strangled voice spoke up from under him. 

“R-Red. Red. Stop. Please.” Merlin’s voice was so small and it took Arthur a moment to realize what he had said. 

Arthur swore under his breath and tossed the cane to the side, turning off the toy that was still buzzing away inside of Merlin. He eased the toy out and tossed it onto the bed before ripping off the blindfold and uncuffing him. 

Merlin’s whole face was damp with tears. He sniffled and hiccuped, wiping his eyes quickly, even as more tears spilled down his cheeks. Arthur felt guilt shoot through him and he pulled Merlin into his arms. 

“Hey. Hey, it’s okay. Shh.” He rubbed his back and stroked his hair, feeling horrible for making him safeword. He shouldn’t have pushed him so hard, shouldn’t have said those things. He held Merlin close as the younger man cried, just trying to soothe him. 

Truth be told, Arthur didn’t have a clue as to what he was supposed to do in this situation. He’d never thought ahead as to what he’d do if Merlin ever safeworded. He’d never expected it to happen. Now that he was in this situation, he could do little more than kiss Merlin’s head and promise him that everything would be alright.

Eventually, Merlin’s crying quieted down. He sniffled and pulled away from Arthur’s embrace. “I’m okay.” He exhaled shakily. “I’m okay.” He wiped his eyes and this time fresh tears didn’t follow. 

“Are you sure?” Arthur searched his face. “I’m so sorry.”

“No, it’s okay.” Merlin moved to sit down properly, but he winced, rolling onto his stomach to just lay there instead. “You just pushed a little too hard. You were saying those things and the hits paired with the vibrator and being told not to come, it was too much. I couldn’t take all those things at once.” He explained. 

Arthur nodded and sighed. “I understand.” He said gently. “Those things I said, I didn’t mean them.” 

Merlin laughed. “I know.” He assured. “No one means the things they say during a scene.” 

“Right.” Arthur still felt guilty. “Can I do anything for you? Should we take a shower?” 

Merlin smiled a little. “I’d like that.” 

Arthur nodded. “Okay.” He helped Merlin stand, noticing how he winced with each step. Arthur had really given him a beating. His heart sunk. He’d hit Merlin to the point where he didn’t enjoy it anymore. He was a monster. 

He led Merlin into the bathroom, stripping the rest of the way down before turning on the spray. He stepped into the shower and coaxed Merlin inside as well. He wrapped his arms around him and held him close, just holding him. 

“Hm. This is nice.” Merlin murmured softly. 

“I’m glad you think so.” Arthur pressed a kiss to his head. They stood there for a long time, just enjoying each other’s company underneath the warm spray of the shower. 

Arthur found himself staring into Merlin’s eyes, his heart beating heavily. He searched Merlin’s face a moment before pressing his lips to his. He kissed him slowly, softly, gently. He poured everything he had been holding back into the kiss. It was a long moment before Merlin pulled away. 

“What was that for?” He asked, tilting his head to the side with a smile. 

Arthur searched his face.  _ Because I love you. _ “Just because.” He said with a shrug. “No reason.” 

“Alright.” Merlin laughed. 

Arthur smiled despite the conflicting emotions that threatened to overtake him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'm not gonna lie, I write more for the plot than the smut these days, but I want everyone to be happy! Should I write more smut or focus more on the plot? Let me know in the comments!


	20. Coming Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Freya chapter! Freya's storyline is probably my favorite. I hope you enjoy!

Freya couldn’t believe that this moment had come at last. After weeks of sneaking around, of talking to people in hushed whispers where Halig couldn’t hear, of coming up with excuses of where she was going, she was finally free. 

Freya had never actually called the client who had offered his help to Merlin. She didn’t trust a man who she didn’t know. Instead, she had reached out to her new friends for assistance. She’d told Gwen the situation, who promised to only tell the other women who worked at Camelot plus Morgana and Elena. 

Together, the women had devised a plan. 

It started out small, just by pulling Freya away from Halig. She made excuses about clients who wanted her to come to their houses after work for some extra fun. The other women all chipped in to give her money that she could give to Halig to keep up the lie. But instead of tumbling in the sheets with shady old men, she was working with her friends on an escape plan. 

Morgana had offered to allow Freya to stay at her place until they got her a house of her own. That way she wouldn’t be thrown into the deep end. Freya had never lived on her own before, had never paid bills or filed taxes. She wouldn’t know how. So it was decided that she would live with Morgana, who could teach her all the things she needed to know. 

Morgana also promised to get Freya her first job outside of sex work. She offered her a place at her brother’s company as a secretary. She would answer calls and keep things organized. It shouldn’t be that hard of a first-time job. 

It all sounded perfect. There was only the problem of Halig left to deal with. 

Halig wouldn’t just let Freya go. He would track her down, would stop at nothing to get her back. Morgana had promised to help with that too. She’d claimed that getting Freya out of the situation was the most important thing and that if Halig started tracking her down, that could be considered stalking and that Freya could report him to the police and request a restraining order. 

It seemed so simple, but Freya had her doubts. She was terrified of Halig coming after her, of hurting her. More than that, she was afraid of him hurting her friends. It was Isolde who had comforted her on that matter. 

“I know it seems like he’s some all-powerful demon.” She had told her one day. “But he’s not. He’s just a man. There’s one of him and a ton of us. We can hold our own. We can protect ourselves and we can protect you too.” She had smiled reassuringly at her. “We’ve all got each other’s backs here.” 

And so Freya had gone along with it. 

Mithian had helped Freya open her first bank account and all of the other women had chipped in to give her money to put in it. Her own money. Money that Halig couldn’t touch. 

Freya had made her first real purchase on a new dress. It was loose and made of red lace with floral designs all over it. It made her feel beautiful without feeling sexy. It was a feeling that Freya had never experienced before. 

When the day finally came for Freya to leave Camelot and Halig for good, she was sweaty and terrified. She arrived that night at Camelot with Halig, as she did almost every night. He had slapped her ass and told her to be good for her clients. She had simply nodded and walked into the staff room. 

She stayed in the staff room instead of going to room number thirteen. She paced around, going into her locker and retrieving the stuffed cat that she had earned at the arcade. The toy brought her more comfort than it had any right to. She hugged it to her chest as she waited all night for the night to be over and her friends to be done with their shifts. 

Eventually, the night ended and Freya went to Halig. She took a breath and told him that she had a client who wanted to take her home with him. It was a lie that came so easily now, as she had told it so many times before. Halig had barely acknowledged her, waving her off and telling her to make good money. She promised that she would before turning her back on him and walking out of Camelot with the other women. 

They all surrounded her, forming a protective barrier as they guided her to the car that was waiting a few blocks away. They stayed with her until she was safely inside of Morgana’s car. 

Then, they were at Morgana’s house. Freya’s new home. 

She stepped out of the car, holding her toy cat close to her chest as she looked around. The house was large and beautiful. It was a lot to take in. 

Morgana led Freya to her room, which was far more spacious than anything Freya was used to. She sat down on the bed and beamed, tears coming into her eyes. She was so happy. 

She didn’t know what else to do, so she called the only friend who wasn’t involved in this plan: Mordred. 

Mordred and Freya had been carrying on a growing friendship. They hadn’t seen each other in person since that day at the arcade, but Freya found herself calling him frequently. He would tell her about his day and she would listen. Sometimes she would tell him about aspects of her day, but never the whole truth. She didn’t want him to think less of her.

“Hello?” Mordred picked up, his voice groggy. Freya had forgotten how late it was. 

“Oh, did I wake you?” She asked quietly. “I’m sorry.” 

“No, it’s okay.” Mordred responded quickly. “What’s up?” 

“I’m just really happy.” Freya admitted. “And I wanted to tell someone.” 

“What are you so happy about?” 

“I just moved.” Freya twirled a strand of hair around her finger. “I moved out of a bad situation into a good one. I have a really good feeling about it.” 

“Freya, that’s great.” Mordred sounded genuinely pleased for her. “I’m glad you’re happy. You deserve it.” 

“Thank you.” Freya felt tears gather in her eyes. “I never thought that I could deserve to be happy.” She admitted, her voice soft. 

“Of course you do.” He said quickly. “You deserve happiness more than almost anyone.” 

“You think so?” 

“Of course I do.” He said. “You’re so sweet and gentle and wonderful.” 

Freya blushed. “You really think all those things about me?” 

“I really do.” He said sincerely. “Freya, you’re amazing.” 

She looked down. “Thank you.” She felt tears of joy and gratitude sliding down her cheeks. 

“Hey, I know that this might be weird and all and you can absolutely say no, but I was wondering if you’d maybe like to meet up sometime?” 

“Why would that be weird?” Friends met up with friends all the time, right? 

“Well, I mean,” He hesitated. “I mean like a date.” 

“Oh.” Freya’s world froze. Did Mordred just want to use her for sex? Just like all other men? Was Mordred really no different than Halig? 

No. No, he was different. He was sweet and kind and gentle. He supported Freya and enjoyed talking to her. He was young and passionate and a bit clumsy. He was different. Freya couldn't spend her whole life distrusting everyone. 

“I’d like that.” She said after a long moment of silence. “I really would.” 

“Perfect.” Freya could hear the smile on his voice. “Are you free tomorrow?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Do you wanna meet at the arcade at around noon?” 

“That sounds perfect.” 

“Great. I’ll see you then.”

“I’ll see you.” Freya hung up, laying back in her new bed and staring at the ceiling. How different everything was. Things were going to start changing for her. She could feel it. 

The next day, Morgana drove Freya to the arcade. Freya wore her nice, new dress with a pair of shoes Morgana had loaned her. Morgana had helped Freya style her hair so it was slightly wavy. Morgana had even done her make-up for her. Halig had never allowed Freya to wear make-up, saying that it made her look fake. But now, Freya felt like a princess. 

She walked into the arcade and spotted Mordred standing by Dance Dance Revolution. He smiled and waved at her when she approached him. 

“Wow.” He breathed. “You look beautiful.” His cheeks suddenly heated up. “I mean, you always look beautiful, but-”   


Freya laughed, a real, genuine laugh. “Thank you.” She smiled. “You look handsome.” 

“Thank you.” He smiled back at her. “Would you like to play a round of D-D-R?”

“I’d love to.” And so they played. 

They played for hours, not only Dance Dance Revolution, but other games as well. They spent the whole day playing games, making a quick stop to a restaurant across the street to grab a bite to eat when they were hungry before returning to the arcade to play some more. They laughed together, won silly prizes, and enjoyed each other’s company. By the time the sun started to set, Freya was truly happy. 

“Oh, I should go. I have-” But then Freya stopped. She had nowhere she had to be. She didn’t have to go to Camelot. She didn’t have to go anywhere she didn’t want to. A smile spread across her face. “Actually, I don’t have to go anywhere.” 

Mordred smiled. “Good.” He hesitated. “May I,” He hesitated. “May I kiss you?” 

Freya swallowed. No one had ever asked to kiss her before. They just did it. She hesitated before shaking her head. “No.” She said, just because she could, just because she had the ability to say no. “I’m sorry.” 

“It’s okay.” Mordred seemed a little deflated, but he didn’t push. “It’s alright.” 

Freya smiled. “We could hold hands, though?” 

“I’d like that.” Mordred took her hand in his own and laced their fingers together.

It wasn’t a kiss, but it was perfect. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me thoughts, please!


	21. Ding Dong the King is Dead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not really happy with this chapter at all, but I can't think of how to improve it.

The television flickered to life and Morgana stared at the screen, not processing a single word. She held a glass of wine in one hand, the television remote in the other. She sipped slowly at her drink, her hand shaking. 

“Uther Pendragon found dead-”

Morgana flicked the television off and set her glass down on the coffee table. She rubbed her face, taking a shaky breath. She’d gotten the call the previous night. Arthur had told her the news, barely holding himself together. 

Morgana hadn’t cried. She still hadn’t cried. 

Uther Pendragon was dead. Found murdered in a ditch somewhere. There were no suspects. 

Dead. Uther was dead. The man who had treated his children like they were dirt beneath his boot was dead. 

Morgana began to laugh. She laughed and laughed and laughed. She laughed until it became painful to do so and then continued laughing. She laughed so hard that tears began streaming down her face. She laughed and went right on laughing. 

He was gone. She was finally free of him. 

She heard footsteps approach and she looked up, trying to calm her hysterical laughter. 

“Morgana?” Freya stood, dressed in a nightgown. “Are you alright?”

“Yes. Yes, I’m wonderful.” Morgana said. “Don’t you worry about me.” 

“Oh. Okay.” Freya smiled a tiny bit. “Well, I’ll be here if you need me.” 

“Thank you, Freya.” Morgana smiled at her and watched as she disappeared down the hallway. Morgana took a breath, stretching out her arms. 

She couldn’t believe that this had happened. Just a few days ago, Uther had been breathing down her neck about how she was dating a whore. A female whore nonetheless. He’d been furious, had threatened all sorts of things. Morgana hadn’t paid him any mind. She’d outgrown his threats years ago. 

And now he was gone. Dead. Would never bother her again. Never again would she have to hear about how she was some sick perversion from her own father. She leaned back, thinking that deserved some kind of celebration. 

Her phone began to ring and she checked the caller ID, realizing that the call was being made from Gwen’s phone. She picked up. “Hello?” 

“Morgana.” Gwen’s voice sounded panicked. “I just saw the news. Your father-” She cut herself off. “Are you okay? Do you need anything? I’m so sorry.” 

“Gwen, what are you apologizing for?” Morgana laughed. 

“Your father-”

“Was an abusive sack of shit who the world is better off without.” She said firmly. “He was a horrible person who hurt a lot of people.” 

“He was still your father.” Gwen said after a moment. 

“So?” Morgana scoffed. “He detested everything I am and I despised everything he stood for.” She pointed out. “I say good riddance.”

“You don’t mean that.” Gwen said gently. 

“Don’t tell me what I do or don’t mean.” Morgana snapped. She sighed after recognizing her harsh tone. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.” She said softly. “But I really don’t care that he’s dead. I feel nothing at all.” 

“If you say so.” Gwen didn’t sound convinced. 

“I do.” Morgana said firmly. “If you don’t mind, tonight I’m probably going to go out and get absolutely wasted.” 

Gwen sighed. “I don’t mind.” She said. “Just be sure to be safe and take care of yourself. I’m here if you need anything at all.” 

“Thanks, Gwen.”

“Of course.” 

That night, Morgana picked up Morgause and took to the clubs. She danced and drank and smoked and overall had the time of her life. There was nothing anyone could do to stop her. She didn’t have to worry about ruining her father’s reputation anymore, not that she ever really cared. It was amazing how freeing the death of an abuser could feel.

By the time she came stumbling outside, she was totally drunk, leaning on her sister for support. Morgause wrapped an arm around her waist and struggled to hold her upright, laughing a bit at her. 

She didn’t even notice the camera flashes outside of the club. She took an Uber home, crawling into bed with a sleepy smile on her face. She was so relieved. She was finally free. She closed her eyes and prepared to drift off when her phone started ringing. She wrinkled her nose and answered it despite her best judgement telling her not to. 

“Hello?” She slurred. 

“Morgana, what the hell were you thinking?” Arthur’s voice rang out from the speaker.

Morgana held the phone away from her ear, the noise far too loud. “Arthur?” She murmured sleepily. “What are you talking about?” 

“The day after our father’s death and you’re out  _ partying? _ ” He demanded. “What is wrong with you?” 

Morgana rolled her eyes and rolled over so was laying on her back. “We all handle grief differently.” She said sarcastically. 

“This isn’t grieving!” Arthur snapped. “This is celebrating!” 

“So what?” Morgana sat upright. “So what if I’m celebrating? That man treated us both like shit for years. He beat us. He never showed any pride in us. He treated us like we were destroying his legacy.” 

“He raised us!” Arthur was yelling over the phone now. “He loved us!”

“The only person Uther Pendragon ever loved was himself.” Morgana said, her tone scalding. “I’m sorry that you’ve always been too in denial to see that.” 

“You’re a real bitch, Morgana. You know that?” Arthur’s tone was hurt, angry. “You’re the one who’s never loved anyone but themself.”

“Oh, screw you.” Morgana spat. 

Arthur hung up. 

Morgana growled and tossed her phone to the side. She wasn’t any kind of monster for not being upset when her abuser died. She wasn’t in the wrong here. Right? 

She turned over on her side, her head spinning with too many thoughts. How dare Arthur treat her like she had done something incorrectly. How dare he act like she should be crying over this. What was the point of playing some game of pretend where she missed her father? No, Morgana had done nothing wrong. 

She rolled back onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. Truth be told, she didn’t even feel  _ happy  _ about Uther’s death. She wished she could. She wished she could be overjoyed. But instead she felt nothing. Nothing at all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me your thoughts! What do you think will happen next?


	22. I Love You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! I hope you enjoy it!

Merlin hadn’t seen Arthur in three weeks. He just hadn’t showed up on their scheduled days. Merlin had no idea why. Had he done something wrong? Was Arthur just not interested anymore? Did Arthur have better things to do than spend his money on an escort? Merlin didn’t know. 

It shouldn’t bother him. He really shouldn’t. Arthur was just a client, nothing more. Merlin never thought about his clients this often. There was just something different about Arthur, though what it was, Merlin couldn’t say. 

A lot had been going on within Camelot lately. Gwen had moved in with Lancelot, Freya had quit her job at Camelot, Halig had gone ballistic and threatened several of the escorts while demanding that Freya be returned to him, resulting in his termination. Merlin was honestly relieved. Halig wasn’t someone he wanted to be around. 

Merlin got changed out in the staff room, removing his shirt and putting on the pants he usually wore for work. He made his way to room number twelve, sitting down on the bed and stretching. When the door opened, he stood up, surprised to see Arthur standing in the doorway. 

“Arthur.” The word slipped out before he could stop it and he internally winced. “I mean William.” He quickly corrected himself, remembering Arthur’s alias. 

Arthur smiled weakly at him, looking as though he had been hit by a truck. There were bags under his eyes and it seemed as though he hadn’t slept in as long as Merlin hadn’t seen him. 

“Are you alright?” Merlin asked, looking him up and down. “Where have been?” It wasn’t his place to ask about a client’s personal life, so he quickly covered it up with a smirk. “Haven’t gotten bored of me yet, have you?” 

Arthur laughed, but it rang hollow. “Never.” He assured, removing his jacket and tie. He hung them both up before making his way towards Merlin. He placed his hands on Merlin’s hips and looked into his eyes for a long moment before kissing him deeply. It was a soft kiss, gentle and passionate. Merlin found himself sinking into the kiss, his arms coming up to wrap around Arthur’s neck. 

They stayed that way for a long time, just kissing while pressed together. By the time Arthur finally pulled away, Merlin was breathless. 

Arthur started unbuttoning his shirt as Merlin watched. He shrugged off his shirt and let it fall to the floor. He moved closer and unbuttoned Merlin’s pants, pulling down the zipper and sliding them off. Merlin stepped out of the pants as Arthur made quick work of his own pants. 

Soon, they were both bare, just staring at one another. The air was intense, but very different than a usual scene. Arthur looked Merlin up and down. 

“You’re so beautiful.” He murmured, drinking in the sight of him. “Gorgeous.” 

For some reason, Merlin felt a blush creeping up his neck. It wasn’t the first time he’d been called beautiful, far from it. He was called beautiful on an almost nightly basis. It wasn’t even the first time Arthur had called him beautiful, but Merlin still felt shy under his gaze for a reason he couldn’t explain. 

Arthur led him to the bed, gently pushing him down on it. Merlin laid back, allowing Arthur to crawl over him and begin kissing him again. Arthur’s lips moved from Merlin’s mouth to his jaw and down his neck. Merlin closed his eyes and tilted his head, giving Arthur better access. Arthur sucked marks into Merlin’s pale skin that Merlin hoped would last for days. 

Soon, Arthur was kissing his way down Merlin’s chest, licking lightly at his nipples. Merlin sighed contentedly, letting his head fall back against the pillows. When Arthur took him into his mouth, he started at a slow pace. He bobbed his head leisurely, licking and sucking at whatever he could reach. He’d certainly improved a great deal since the first time he’d attempted to give Merlin a blowjob. 

Merlin’s hands found their way into Arthur’s hair, just smoothing out the strands. He pet and played with the blond hair as Arthur took him deeper before pulling off completely. Merlin whined in the back of his throat, but Arthur shushed him kindly. 

Arthur kissed his way back up Merlin’s body until he reached his lips. He kissed him sweetly before getting up and making his way to the cabinet so he could grab a bottle of lube. When he returned to Merlin, he kissed the inside of his thigh tenderly. 

Merlin couldn’t help but wonder why Arthur was being so soft and sweet. It wasn’t usual for them to have sex in this way. They were usually rough and kinky or at least experimental. The sweetness came after. This was something entirely new.

Merlin sighed and let out quiet moans as Arthur prepared him with his fingers. He took his sweet time doing so, being sure to stretch Merlin thoroughly on three fingers before pulling them out. 

Arthur lined himself up and slowly sunk into Merlin, filling him completely. He cradled Merlin’s face as he rocked into him slowly. It was the most tender sex Merlin had had in a long, long time. After a few moments of gentle rocking together, tears hit Merlin’s cheeks, but they weren’t his own tears. He looked up to see Arthur crying softly as he rocked into him. Merlin considered calling yellow, not liking it when Arthur cried, but he refrained. Arthur didn’t seem upset, just overwhelmed. 

Arthur kissed Merlin again, increasing his pace inside of him. He wrapped a hand around Merlin’s neglected cock and began stroking in time with his thrusts. He continued kissing at every inch of Merlin’s skin that he could reach, peppering his cheeks in light kisses. 

Merlin slowly approached his peak, whimpering and whining. “I’m gonna-”

“Say my name.” Arthur whispered. “Say it.” It wasn’t demanding, as his usual orders were. It was a request. 

“William.” Merlin breathed, but Arthur shook his head.

“Say my real name.” Another request. 

“Arthur.” Merlin whispered. “Arthur. Arthur.” He gasped his name out with each thrust. 

“Merlin.” Arthur murmured. “Merlin.” His rhythm grew erratic and he buried himself deep within Merlin before spilling within him, still stroking Merlin through his own orgasm. 

Arthur pulled out and collapsed beside Merlin, holding him close. Merlin just laid in Arthur’s arms, breathing heavily. He turned his head when he heard the soft sounds of crying beside him. 

“Arthur? Arthur, are you okay?” He asked gently. 

Arthur nodded, wiping his eyes. “I love you.” He blurted, his eyes widened upon realizing what he had just said. He stared at Merlin for a long moment before repeating it. “I love you.” 

Merlin stared at him. “Arthur, you don’t even know me.” 

“Yes, I do.” Arthur sat up. “I know your name is Merlin. I know you care deeply about your friends and want to help them. I know you cry when you get overwhelmed. I know your eyes crinkle up when you laugh.” 

“That’s not the same as knowing me.” Merlin insisted, his heart beating quickly inside of his chest. “Arthur, you’re a client.”

“So?” He peered at him. “I know how I feel. I know that I love you.” 

Merlin shook his head. “You think you’re the first person to tell me that?” He asked. “Just last week I had a kid confess his love for me because I took his virginity. You feel an attachment towards me because we have sex. That isn’t love.” 

“It is.” Arthur took his hand. “You’re all I think about. You’re the only person who treats me like I’m a real person instead of just my father’s son.” 

“I don’t even know who your father is.” Merlin pointed out. “I don’t know anything about you.” 

“Uther Pendragon.” Arthur said quickly. “Uther Pendragon is- was my father.” 

Merlin stared at him. “The member of Parliament who died a few weeks ago?” 

Arthur nodded. That explained why he hadn’t come to Camelot in the past few weeks. 

“That makes you-”

“Arthur Pendragon.” Arthur finished. “Head of Pendragon Industries.” 

Merlin stared at him. “Oh.” Arthur Pendragon had paid him for sex. Multiple times. Arthur Pendragon was admitting his love for him. Merlin shook his head. “You still don’t love me.” 

“I’ll tell you anything you want to know.” Arthur promised. “Just ask and I’ll answer. I love you.”

“Arthur-”

“What will it take for you to believe me?” He sounded so desperate. 

“Arthur, I have a boyfriend.” Merlin finally said. “Who I love very much.” He looked away. 

There was a tense moment of silence. 

“What?” Arthur murmured. 

“You remember Strength?” Merlin asked, running a hand through his hair. “He and I have been together for two years.”

“Oh.” Arthur deflated. “But I thought-”

“You’re a client, Arthur.” Merlin said. “I’m sorry, but it can never be more than that.” 

“I understand.” Arthur took a breath. “I’m sorry for saying anything.” He stood up and began to get dressed. 

Merlin didn’t look at him. 

Arthur was just a client. Of course Merlin didn’t have feelings for him.

Then why did rejecting him hurt so badly? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me what you think!


	23. Power

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was fun to write!

Gwen arrived home from a nice day out with Morgana. She’d had fun, the two of them had had a nice lunch and seen a movie together. Needless to say, Gwen was in high spirits when she arrived at home. 

“Lance? I’m home.” She called when she walked through the door, taking her shoes off before venturing further inside. “Lance?” 

“I’m in the bedroom.” Lancelot called from within the house. 

Gwen made her way to the main bedroom, seeing Lancelot sitting on the bed. 

“Hey, there, handsome.” She smiled, wrapping her arms around him and placing a kiss to his temple. “How have you been?”

“Alright.” He fidgeted, looking nervous. 

Gwen frowned a bit, tilting her head to the side. “What is it?” She asked. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Something’s up.” 

Lancelot looked sheepish. “You can tell?”

“Of course I can tell.” She booped his nose. “I know you too well.” 

Lancelot chuckled. “It’s nothing bad.” He promised. “But I got you something.” He picked up a box that he had stashed under the bed and handed it over. “Here.” His face was red, though she couldn’t imagine why.

“Aw. You didn’t have to get me anything.” She accepted the box. “Thank you. I love it.” 

“You don’t even know what it is yet.” He pointed out. 

“I know I’ll love it because you got it for me.” Gwen said with a smile.

“I don’t know about that.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Just open it and we’ll see.” 

Gwen slowly unwrapped it before taking the lid off of the box. What she found within surprised her. “Oh.” She gingerly took it out of its box. It was a strap-on. A nice one. It had two penis shaped toys attached, one on the inside and one on the out. The inside one was angled in a way where it would thrust inside of the user as she fucked her partner with the outside one. 

Gwen trailed her fingers along the inside penis. “This is wonderful.” She murmured. “Thank you, but why would you,” She trailed off, looking at Lancelot in confusion. She knew that he supported her work, but she’d never expected him to buy her anything for it. 

That was when Lancelot shifted, avoiding her gaze, and Gwen realized that this wasn’t for work at all.

“Lancelot, do you want me to use this on you?” She asked gently. “Do you want me to peg you?” 

He responded with nothing more than a short nod. 

A wave of heat washed over her and she bit her lip, imagining Lancelot moaning and mewling beneath her as she fucked into him. “I can do that.” She thought of him all hot and sweaty and taking it like a champion. “I can definitely do that.” 

“Yeah?” He asked, finally meeting her eyes. “Because I’d like you to. Only if you’re comfortable, of course.” 

“I’m more than comfortable with this idea.” She assured him. “But what made you think of this?” 

“Last week, you mentioned that you pegged a man at work.” Lancelot explained. “And ever since you told me, I haven’t been able to get the thought of it out of my head.” He blushed. 

“I’m glad you brought this up.” Gwen smiled. “We’re going to have so much fun!” She squeed. “I’m going to fuck you until you forget your name.” She said in a light, chipper tone. 

Lancelot shuddered despite her casual tone. “Could we maybe,” He hesitated. “I was thinking tonight we could,” He trailed off. 

“Oh, you want to try it out tonight?” She was surprised. “Has this been properly sanitized?” She waved the strap-on around. 

Lancelot nodded quickly. “I cleaned it myself.” He assured her. 

“Well, then. Alright.” She set it aside and kissed him deeply. Lancelot returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around her. 

Eventually, she pulled away. “I’m gonna need you to strip for me, baby.” She told him as she fished a bottle of lube out of the nightstand drawer. 

Lancelot did as he was told, quickly divesting himself of his clothing. Gwen couldn’t help but to watch as each glorious inch of skin was revealed to her hungry gaze. She drank in the sight of him, of his muscles and the hair on his chest. Her gaze traveled lower, to the curve of his ass. She bit her lip, just appreciating the view. 

He turned around, catching her staring. “Like what you see?” He asked with a raised eyebrow. 

“I love it.” She grinned, walking over to kiss him. She pulled him down into a sweet and tender kiss before pulling away. “Alright, lay on your stomach on the bed.” Her tone was soft, but she was used to giving commands. Lancelot couldn’t help but to obey. 

He settled himself on the bed, clearly tense. Gwen came up behind him and straddled his hips from behind. She started massaging his shoulders and back. “If this is going to work, you’re going to need to relax, darling.” She told him. “Just focus on the feeling of my hands on you.” She carefully eased the tension from him until he pliant and still beneath her. 

She slowly trailed her hands down and to his ass. She kneaded the supple skin, feeling the tight muscle just underneath. She slowly parted his cheeks and poured a generous amount of lube onto her fingers. She slid one finger into him, a bit surprised by how easily it went in. He wasn’t as tight as she expected and she told him as much.

“Well, I,” Lancelot hid his face in a pillow. “I’ve been thinking about this, so I started, uh, fingering myself.” He murmured the last part of the sentence, but Gwen still heard him. The image of Lancelot laying in bed, knuckle deep in his own ass, caused Gwen to hold back a moan. Lancelot really was perfect. 

She added a second finger, working him open. He made small sighs and breathy noises with each movement. It was music to her ears. By the time she worked a third finger into him, he was a mess, rutting slightly against the sheets. It was obvious that he was doing his best to stay still and was simply having little success. 

Slowly removing her fingers, Gwen grabbed the strap-on. She stepped into it, slowly pressing the inside toy inside of herself, situating herself until she was fully comfortable. She maneuvered Lancelot until his feet were planted on the floor with his upper body still laying on the bed. She lined the strap-on up with Lancelot’s hole before slowly pushing in. She gripped his hips tightly, holding him in place.

“How does that feel?” She asked, rubbing small circles over his hip.

“Wonderful.” He breathed. “Please.” He whined. “Move. Please.” 

Who was Gwen to refuse him? She began thrusting into him, fucking him at a slow speed, but gradually increasing her pace. With each thrust, the toy inside of her moved, fucking her just as she fucked him. It was a steady back and forth. 

Lancelot was clearly enjoying every second of it, judging by the noses he was making. He gripped the sheets tightly, biting the pillow to keep from crying out too loudly. Gwen continued her punishing pace, her hips slapping against his. 

Gwen reached around his body to talk hold of his neglected cock. She stroked him in time with her thrusts, wanting to hear him as he released. 

It didn’t take long. “Guinevere.” Lancelot moaned. “I’m close. I’m so close. F-F-”

“Come on, then.” Gwen nipped at his ear. “Come for me, baby,: 

And so he did, spilling into her hand and over the bed. He collapsed, breathing heavily. 

Gwen pulled out and removed the strap-on, crawling on the bed and smiling at her boyfriend. “How was that?” She asked, ignoring her own need at the moment. 

“So good.” He said brokenly. “So, so good.” He slowly moved closer to her, burying his face between her legs. She chuckled at his eagerness, but the laugh turned into a moan as soon as he put his tongue to use.

Lancelot made no secret of how much he enjoyed eating Gwen out. He moaned and put his own body into it. He gripped her thighs with his hands as his tongue eagerly alternated between lapping at her, fucking inside of her, and pressing against her clit. 

It wasn’t long before Gwen gripped Lancelot’s hair and rocked her hips through her orgasm. He pulled away and smiled a dopey grin at her.

“Was that good?”

“That was wonderful, sweetheart.” She stroked his hair. “You were just wonderful.” 

He sat up to kiss her, still tasting of her juices. 

Gwen eventually pulled away and stretched. “Oh, Morgana told me to watch the news tonight.” She murmured. “She said something important was going to happen, but she refused to tell me what.” She got off of the bed and started collecting the dirtied sheets so she could throw them in the wash. 

“Oh?” Lancelot watched her. “I wonder what it could be.” 

“I guess we’ll find out.” Gwen grabbed the tv remote and flicked the television on, changing the station to the news. To her surprise, a picture of Arthur’s face was shining bright on the screen. 

“Arthur Pendragon, son of the deceased Uther Pendragon and CEO of Pendragon Industries has announced his plan to run for his father’s seat in Parliament this coming year.” The news anchor said. “Unlike his father, who was a member of the UK Independence Party, Pendragon is said to be a member of the Labour Party.” The anchor continued. “Some of Uther Pendragon’s supporters claim that Arthur Pendragon is a disgrace to his father’s legacy while others think he’s an example of the younger generation fixing their parents’ mistakes. However, not only is he going against everything his father stood for, but he’s also involved in another controversy.” 

The image of Arthur’s face was replaced with an image of Arthur entering Camelot. “Rumors are abound that Pendragon is involved with a brothel, though as a client or a worker, no one is certain. What is known is that Pendragon was seen multiple times entering a business known as Camelot, which is widely suspected to be an underground brothel and fetish club.” 

Gwen stared at the television in horror, suddenly feeling sick. If Arthur wanted to run for a seat in Parliament, then good for him. That wasn’t what bothered her. What bothered her was that her work was being televised. That could only mean bad things in her line of work. It was only a matter of time before the police could no longer turn a blind eye and they had to shut them down. If the reporters didn’t get to them first. 

"Camelot is ruined." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please tell me your thoughts on it! Which characters do you want to see more focus being put on?


	24. The Swarm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pretty iffy about this chapter, but I hope you enjoy it anyway!

Arthur hadn’t visited Camelot since his failed love confession. It just didn’t feel right to return. How could he go back and look Merlin the eye after being rejected? No, it was best that he never went to Camelot again and put that chapter of his life behind him. 

Besides, he was running for a seat in Parliament now and there were those who already suspected his involvement with Camelot. He couldn’t do anything that put his campaign in danger. 

But there was a feeling of melancholy that surrounded him. He missed his weekly visits to Camelot, he missed seeing Merlin. He missed the sex, sure, but he also missed the conversations he and Merlin would have. He missed making him laugh, missed his funny smile, missed the blissed out expression on his face after a scene. 

Arthur tried to shake the feeling off by burying himself in his work. He would need to find someone to take over the company if he was elected, but he wasn’t sure who should do that. His employees and partners all suddenly treated him with the utmost respect, all trying to win a shot at being head of the company, but Arthur knew better than to see their behavior as anything more than them trying to increase their chances at earning his position. 

Truth be told, he didn’t trust anyone with the company. These were the people who had suggested cutting the pay of the people who needed the money most, who didn’t seem to care about the working conditions of people beneath them. Arthur could easily see the company turning completely soulless if he handed over the reins to any of the people he worked closely with. 

He sat at his desk and sighed, tossing his pen atop the wood as he ran a hand through his hair. He was exhausted and thoroughly drained. Managing such an important business while also planning to run for Parliament was a dangerous juggling act. He wasn’t so certain that he could keep up. But he had to try. He had to carry on his father’s legacy while also improving upon it. He just wished he had a way to relieve all this tension.

He leaned back in his chair, thinking of Camelot. He hadn’t realized just how much his visits helped him relax, how they got him through the week. He thought of the people there. He remembered his first night at Camelot, how Gwen had kindly directed him to Merlin when it was made apparent that she wouldn’t fulfill his needs. He thought of how she had willingly pretended to be his girlfriend to his father, even after both Arthur and Uther had said some pretty awful things. 

He thought of Strength, the only man who had ever fucked him. He thought of how good it had felt, how the man had known exactly how to please him. He thought of Strength’s wicked smirk and his dirty talk. He thought of how he seamlessly brought Merlin into the fun.

And of course he couldn’t get his mind off of Merlin. Perfect, beautiful Merlin. Arthur thought of him nearly everyday. He just couldn’t get him out of his head, even after he had rejected him. 

Arthur sighed and shook his head, trying to force the thoughts from his head. Merlin wasn’t interested in him. He had to grow up and accept that. He ran a hand through his hair and grabbed the remote for the television in his office. He flipped on the tv to watch some news, hoping that it would get his mind off of Merlin and Camelot. 

Unfortunately, he had no such luck. 

As the television blinked to life, he saw an image of Camelot being projected onto the screen. Reporters surrounded the employee’s entrance, crowding around the door as people showed up for work. 

Arthur’s heart sank as he recognized Gwen walking in, keeping her head low and avoiding the reporters’ invasive questions. His breathing hitched when he spotted Merlin and Strength standing inside the building as the camera followed Gwen inside. 

His whole body tensed and he felt suddenly angry at these reporters. They had no business asking these questions. They had no business following Arthur’s friends to their work. And they were his friends. They were the people there for him when no one else was, even if he paid them to be. They didn’t deserve this. 

Arthur rose from his desk and grabbed his jacket, making his way out of the building. He wouldn’t allow these reporters to treat the people he cared about like garbage. 

Leon obediently drove where Arthur told him to, driving in silence for a long moment before speaking up. 

“I know the rumors are true.” Leon said. “Why else would you have me drop you off a block away from Camelot once a week?” 

Arthur didn’t respond.

“I’m not judging you.” Leon said quickly. “There’s nothing to judge.” He hesitated. “I went there too. Once. It didn’t go well. I mean, it did, I had fun, but the person I was with dropped afterwards.” He explained in a rush. “I don’t think anyone should judge anyone for their sexual preferences.” 

“Thank you, Leon.” Arthur said shortly. “You can drop me off here.” 

Leon did as he was told, slowing the car to a stop. “Arthur, I’m here for you, man. I mean that.” 

He glanced at Leon briefly, seeing the sincerity in his head of security’s face. “Thank you.” He said genuinely as he got out of the vehicle. 

When he arrived at Camelot, he wore a baseball cap and dark sunglasses, hoping that no one would recognize him. He managed to enter the building with no difficulty, slipping inside and asking for room number twelve. 

He removed his hat and sunglasses once he entered the room, relieved to see Merlin standing there. “Merlin.” He breathed.

“Arthur?” Merlin blinked at him. “What are you doing here? If they see you, your campaign will be ruined.” He rose from the bed and walked towards him.

“I don’t care about my damn campaign.” Arthur shook his head. “I care about how those reporters are treating you.” He said seriously. “Are you alright?” 

“I’m fine. They’re just reporters. All they do is stand around and ask questions.”

“But your face was on tv.” Arthur said. “You could be outed as a sex worker.” 

The color drained from Merlin’s face. “My face was on tv?” He asked, his voice laced with dread. 

Arthur nodded. “Just for a moment that I saw. I doubt anyone would have recognized you if they didn’t know it was you.” He said, trying to calm Merlin’s growing panic. 

“This can’t be happening.” Merlin muttered. “My uncle- He doesn’t- He thinks I work as a bartender while I study to be a doctor.” 

Arthur’s expression softened. “Hey. Hey, it’s okay.” He assured him, gathering him in his arms. “We can get you out of here.” 

“What?” Merlin looked up at him. “What do you mean?” 

“You can work for me. At my company. You won’t have to work at a place like this anymore.” He offered. “You can work at a real job.” 

Merlin untangled himself from Arthur’s arms. “A  _ real  _ job?” He echoed, looking hurt. “Tell me, what exactly about my job isn’t  _ real?” _

“That isn’t what I meant.” Arthur said quickly. “I just meant a better job, a respectable job. A job you can be proud to work at.” 

“I’m proud of working here!” Merlin insisted. “Do you think I work here because I have no other choice?” 

“Well,” How was Arthur supposed to say that  _ yes, yes he did _ ? 

“I like my work, Arthur.” Merlin said firmly. “I’m proud of my work. It isn’t the most perfect job in the world, but it’s work that I can be proud of. I can go home each night knowing that I pleased people.”

“But,” Arthur frowned. “You have to sleep with people you don’t  _ know _ .” He said. “Do you even enjoy sex anymore? Or is it just something you do because you feel like you have to?”

“I enjoy sex just fine, thank you.” Merlin crossed his arms. “I have sex outside of work, you know.”

“But,” Arthur paused. “Why?” 

“Because, believe it not, some sex workers enjoy sex.” Merlin rolled his eyes. “I know my boyfriend certainly does.” 

“Oh.” Arthur sighed. “I didn’t mean to offend you.” He said. “I really didn’t. I just thought you might want a way out.”

“I don’t need a way out and I certainly don’t need your help.” Merlin said coldly. “Stop pretending like you know me just because you pay me for sex.” 

That stung. Arthur’s eyes turned sad and he looked down. “Right.” He murmured. “I shouldn’t have assumed anything.” He sighed. “I just care about you and want you to be okay.” 

“I’m fine.” Merlin insisted, though his tone was softer. “I know you’re worried about me, but I’m a big boy. I can take care of myself.” 

“Right. Of course.” 

There was a tense moment of silence. Arthur opened his mouth to say that he would just go ahead and go, when Merlin muttered a quick “Fuck it,” under his breath and lunged at Arthur, sealing their mouths together. 

Arthur stumbled back, surprised, but pleased. He wrapped his arms around Merlin and held him close, feeling his body against his. He returned the kiss passionately, just pouring all of his feelings into the kiss. 

Merlin eventually pulled away, looking up at Arthur. “Look, that wasn’t a response to anything you said.” He told him. “You’re still on thin ice with me.” He warned. “I kissed you because I wanted to. No other reason.” 

“Right.” Arthur said a little breathlessly. “And why did you want to?” 

“You’re an idiot.” Merlin said fondly.

“Hey!” 

Merlin chuckled. “Look, I like you. You’re different than most of my other clients.” He admitted. “I like you a lot.” He stepped away. “But I love someone else.” He sighed. “Look, you can keep paying me for sex. In fact, I’d really like it if you did.” He admitted. “But there can be no feelings involved. That’s dangerous for both of us.” 

Arthur stared at him, barely registering that Merlin had just admitted to liking him back. He felt like a middle-schooler whose crush just admitted their feelings for them. “You like me?” 

“Does it matter?” Merlin sighed. “You shouldn’t even be here.” He started pacing around the room. “If someone sees you-”

“Let them see me.” Arthur stepped closer. “I won’t stop fighting for you.” 

“I know you think that’s romantic and all, but it’s really not. It’s predatory.” Merlin said bluntly. “I’m taken and you’re an influential man. You can’t be seen with a prostitute.” 

“I know.” Arthur sighed. “I know. But I’ll figure out a way to make this work. I promise.” 

“You’re not listening to me.” Merlin said, sounding frustrated. “I said no.”

“But-”

“Please. Just,” He hesitated. “Just fuck me and then go.” He kissed him deeply, taking Arthur’s breath away. 

And so Arthur did. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me what you think!!


	25. Fuck the Police

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for police violence

Gwaine used his coat to hide Merlin’s face from the cameras as they ran into Camelot. If the cameras caught Gwaine’s face, then so be it. He had no family to disappoint. He just wanted to protect Merlin’s privacy. 

He managed to get Merlin safely inside, lowering his jacket only once the door fully closed behind them. He looked at Merlin, searching his face. 

“You alright?” He asked gently, noticing the troubled look on his lover’s face. 

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.” Merlin nodded. “I just wonder how long it’s going to take for the reporters to leave us alone.”

“Well, Arthur Pendragon was spotted here just a few days ago.” He pointed out. He’d put two and two together, recognizing the face of Arthur Pendragon on the tv as the very same face of William, who Gwaine had fucked for money. 

He had to admit, Arthur had been fun to fuck. His infatuation with Merlin was fun to play with and he was tight as all hell. Ten out of ten, Gwaine would fuck again if given the opportunity. He doubted that would happen, though. Arthur seemed interested exclusively in Merlin. Merlin had even told Gwaine about Arthur’s little love confession 

Gwaine wasn’t sure how he felt about that bit. On one hand, he found it absolutely hilarious that Arthur Pendragon had fallen head over heels for his prostitute. Not that Gwaine could blame him, he’d fallen for Merlin too. Anyone who didn’t automatically love Merlin was a fool. On the other hand, Gwaine had to admit that he had a certain possessiveness over Merlin. He loved him more than anyone and would do absolutely anything for him. He needed to be absolutely certain that any other partner of Merlin’s would do the same. He highly doubted that a Pendragon would give up anything for an escort. 

Still, Merlin liked him and that was mostly enough for Gwaine to give Arthur a pass. He wouldn’t give him the angry boyfriend talk or anything, not unless Merlin decided that he actually wanted to be with the blond, which didn’t seem likely to happen. It was Merlin’s decision and Gwaine wasn’t about to pressure him into making it. 

“I know.” Merlin mumbled. “But how interesting is it that one politician might be paying for sex?” 

“Well, he’s not just any politician.” Gwaine pointed out. “He’s the son of Uther Pendragon, one of the most controversial members of Parliament. Plus, he’s the owner of a huge mega corporation.” 

“So?” Merlin wrapped his arms around himself. “I don’t see the big deal.” 

“Trust me, to the common people, this is the most exciting gossip they’ve ever heard. They’re eating it up.” He said. “It’ll blow over eventually, though.” He assured him, wrapping an arm around him and kissing his head. “Soon, everything will be back to normal.” 

“I hope so.” Merlin mumbled, leaning against Gwaine with a sigh. “I just don’t want my uncle to know I’m doing this. He’ll be so disappointed.” 

Gwaine wanted to tell Merlin  _ so what,  _ that if his uncle didn’t accept him for who he was, he didn’t deserve to even know him. But Gwaine kept his mouth shut, knowing that wasn’t what Merlin needed to hear. “I’ll make sure no one sees you here.” He promised. “No one is going to tie Arthur to you either.” 

“Yeah, I really hope not.” Merlin didn’t seem entirely convinced. 

Gwaine rubbed Merlin’s arm before beginning to change into his work clothes. He turned his head when he heard the door open and Freya walked in. 

“Freya?” Merlin sounded so surprised. “What are you doing here?” 

Freya had tears streaming down her face. “Halig- He-” She took large gulps of air. “He found out where I live. I didn’t know where else to go.” 

“Hey. Hey.” Merlin wrapped his arms around her. “It’s okay. You’re safe here.” He promised her. “We won’t let anything happen to you.” He assured. “We’ve all got your back.”

Isolde walked over, placing a hand on Freya’s back. “We’re here for you.” She promised. “If Halig shows his face here, he’ll get thrown out.” She pointed out. “Plus, he’ll lose a few teeth.” She made a fist and Freya gave a watery chuckle.

“Thank you.” She murmured. “Thank you.” She wiped her eyes, taking deep breaths. 

Gwaine heard police sirens, but he didn’t pay them any mind. They were in the city. Police sirens could be heard all the time. But they only grew closer and closer. Soon, they sounded like they were just outside. 

“Uh, guys?” Gwaine looked around. “I’m not the only one who hears that, right?” He questioned. 

Everyone looked at each other. 

It wasn’t long before the police came through the main entrance, making their way into the staff room. 

“Alright, you are all coming with us.” A police officer said, waving a pair of handcuffs. 

“Oh, like hell we are.” Gwaine snarled, not planning on going willingly. He wasn’t about to get arrested for doing his damn job. He had done nothing wrong. 

“You are to come peacefully. We don’t want things turning violent, now do we?.” The officer warned, not hiding the obvious threat. 

Gwaine glared, not backing down. “You’re right We don’t.” He said, fire in his voice. 

“Gwaine.” Merlin said gently. “It’s not worth it.” He placed his hand on Gwaine’s arm. 

“Like hell, it’s not worth it!” Gwaine snapped. “This is my job! My career! They don’t get to just shut us down because we dared work together!” 

“You were advertising your services.” The officer said. “And whoring in a brothel, both of which are illegal.” He said. “We need to take you down to the station, ask a few questions, and make sure you aren’t being trafficked.”

“Oh, bullshit.” Gwaine growled. “You want to parade us in front of all those reporters so they can see the whores being taught a lesson.” He crossed his arms. “I’m not about to let you make a fool of me.” 

“I’m with you.” Isolde stood beside him, nodding at him. “They don’t get to treat us like some kind of spectacle.” 

Gwaine nodded in solidarity with her. 

The office sighed. “Don’t make this more difficult than it has to be.” He reached for Gwaine’s arm, but Gwaine yanked it away and punched the cop right in the face. He smirked, satisfied when he heard the crunch of the officer’s nose. 

More cops flooded the room, handcuffing Gwaine’s friends and not in the fun way. Most of them went willingly, but a few, like Gwaine, put up a fight. 

Isolde kicked and punched and bit at cops, not letting them take her. Eventually, they had her pinned to the ground, a knee against her back as they forcibly cuffed her arms behind her back. 

“Let go of her!” Gwaine wrestled with the officers, trying to force them off of Isolde, with no such luck. Instead, they tried to force Gwaine to the ground, but he refused to fall, pushing back with all his strength. 

An officer pulled out his baton and struck Gwaine with it, hard. Gwaine groaned and doubled over, clutching his stomach where the baton had struck. The office came down hard on Gwaine’s back, striking him with the baton again and sending him to the ground. Gwaine fell to his knees, wincing in pain. The officer struck him again and again. Distantly, Gwaine heard Merlin screaming. 

His arms were yanked behind his back and his hands were cuffed before he was forced to his feet and led out of Camelot. He was dragged through a crowd of people who had stopped to stare. Camera flashes went off and he was shoved into the back of a police car. He sat in silence as he was driven away from the scene. He hadn’t even had time to fully dress himself, sitting in the police car in only a pair of boxers. 

When he arrived at the jail, he realized that he wasn’t the only one in a state of undress. Several escorts were wearing their lingerie or underwear. It was humiliating and degrading. Gwaine kept his head down and refused to answer questions. 

He was put in a cell with several other escorts. He paced around, not knowing what to do. He hated this. He hated all of this. He cursed and kicked at the cell bars, shaking his head. How could this have happened? Camelot operated in peace for so long. Why had the police only now started to pay attention? 

Most of the escorts were released after some questioning, but Gwaine was forced to remain on charges of resisting arrest. He wondered where Merlin was, if he was okay. He had to be okay. Gwaine could feel the areas where the baton had hit him beginning to bruise. 

In the cell beside his, he could hear Freya crying. He approached the bars and looked in on her. “Hey.” He said gently. “What’s wrong?” He asked. “Why haven’t you been released?” 

Freya looked up, tears streaming down her pale face. “I-I’m not a legal immigrant.” She whispered. “They’re going to deport me back to Sweden.” She wiped her eyes. “I have nowhere to go back to. My home is here. I was just getting my life together here.” She started bawling again. 

Gwaine’s heart went out to her. “Hey. Hey, I’m sure we’ll figure something out.” He didn’t want her to have to leave right when her life was improving. She didn’t deserve that. “I promise, we’ll figure something out.” He assured her. 

Gwaine ended up staying in jail overnight before being awoken to learn that someone had paid his bail. He walked out to see Merlin standing there waiting for him.

“Gwaine!” Merlin quickly threw his arms around Gwaine and held him close. “You’re okay. Thank God.” 

Gwaine winced when Merlin hugged him, still sore from his beating. “I’m fine.” He raised his gaze to see the man standing beside Merlin. Arthur Pendragon himself. “I’m guessing you paid my bail.” He said, releasing Merlin and addressing Arthur. 

Arthur nodded. “He insisted that I help you.” He gestured to Merlin. 

“Right. And you’d do anything for him, huh?” Gwaine raised an eyebrow. 

“I would.” Arthur said and Gwaine realized that he meant it. He looked between them. “Lucky you got a rich boy to fall in love with you.” He nudged Merlin gently. 

Merlin flushed. “He’s not in love with me.” He murmured. 

“I am, but that’s not the point.” Arthur said. “I just wanted to help you. I’m sorry about your job.”

“It’s fine.” Gwaine waved him off. “There’s always work in this line of business. Camelot was just the safest option.” He admitted. 

“Yes, well. I must admit that I feel responsible.” Arthur said. “With all the media coverage, the police could no longer pretend not to know what Camelot was. And I’m the one who brought the media there.”

Gwaine shrugged. “There’s nothing you can do now.” He paused. “Actually, maybe there is.” He corrected. “There’s this girl. Her name is Freya. She’s under threat of being deported. Can you help her?” 

Arthur blinked. “Freya?” He questioned. “I have a Freya who works as a secretary in my business.” He said. “But I’ll see what I can do.” 

“Good.” Gwaine nodded, turning to Merlin. “Let’s go home.” 

But once they arrived at their apartment, they found an eviction notice on their door. Gwaine called the landlord to find out what that was about.

“I saw you two on the news.” The landlord said. “And if I suspect you of selling sex under my roof, I have the right to evict you. I don’t want whores living in any of my places.” He said. “Get out and stay out. You have a week.” 

“You can’t legally do this!” Gwaine protested. “You have to give us more time!”

“The courts don’t care what a whore says. Get off my property or I’ll call the police.” 

Gwaine growled and hung up, throwing his phone against the couch before collapsing and sighing. Everything was just one huge mess and he didn’t know how to begin to fix it. He buried his face in his hands, realizing that he couldn’t even provide for his boyfriend. Maybe he’d be better off with Arthur. 

God, Gwaine needed a drink. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me what you think so far and what you want to see happen in this fic!


	26. Guilty Pleasures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a pretty short and mostly filler chapter, but I hope you enjoy it anyway!

Gwen laid in bed, curled up in a small ball. Camelot was gone. Her work, her entire livelihood had disappeared in one night. Freya was being kept behind bars, possibly to be deported. Gwen and all of her friends were completely out of work and their faces had been blasted on television. Everyone’s friends and families all knew now what their night job was. 

Gwen couldn’t help but to feel depressed. Gwaine and Merlin were being evicted, Freya was being deported, and Gwen’s father and brother wouldn’t stop calling her. Gwen couldn’t find it within herself to pick up the phone, only being able to imagine how disappointed Elyan and Tom must be in her. They’d had no idea what her job really was. They’d been under the impression that she worked as a personal assistant. How could she possibly explain that she had been lying to them this whole time? 

She felt the bed dip beside her and a hand was placed on her back. “Are you going to get up today?” Lancelot asked gently, no judgement in his voice. When she shook her head, he just sighed. “Okay.” He said quietly. “You don’t have to.” He pressed a kiss to her head. 

She was so grateful for Lancelot and Morgana. They had made this whole situation bearable. Lancelot took care of her, making her meals and coaxing her to eat despite her loss of appetite. He didn’t pressure her to talk to her family, though he did strongly suggest that she couldn’t avoid them forever. 

Morgana had visited a few times and called frequently to check in on Gwen, just to make sure that she was doing alright. She helped Lancelot with taking care of her on the days when she was over. Morgana and Lancelot were becoming something of friends, which normally would have filled Gwen’s heart with joy, but she could hardly find joy in anything as things were. 

There was a knock on the front door and Gwen assumed that it must be Morgana there for another check-in. She hadn’t called ahead as she usually did, but Gwen didn’t think much of it. 

“I’ll get it.” Lancelot said, rising from the bed to answer the door. Gwen heard a distant conversation at the door, but she didn’t move until she heard footsteps approaching and a familiar voice coming from behind her. 

“Guinevere.” Gwen stiffened, recognizing the voice as belonging to her father. She rolled over to see him standing in her bedroom, Elyan standing behind him. 

“Dad.” Gwen slowly sat up, feeling embarrassed. She was dressed in the same pajamas she’d been wearing for days. She wasn’t suitable for company. “What are you doing here?” 

“To see you, of course.” He responded. “You haven’t been answering either of our calls. We were worried about you.” 

Gwen ducked her head in shame, not wanting to face him. “I’m sorry.” She murmured, feeling tears gather in her eyes. “I just didn’t want you to be disappointed in me.”

“Disappointed?” Tom sounded surprised. “Gwen, why would we be disappointed?” He sat beside her on the bed.

“Because I’m a whore.” She murmured, refusing to meet his gaze. “Because I sell myself for money.” 

“Honey, I don’t care about that.” He wrapped his arms around her. “I don’t care what you do as long as you’re  _ safe. _ ” He told her, holding her close. “I must admit, I don’t understand why you do it. I could never understand that.” He admitted. “But I just want you to be safe and happy.” 

Gwen buried her face in his chest, blinking through her tears. “You aren’t disgusted by me?” 

“Of course not. I could never be.” He promised. “But I need to know,” He pulled away. “Are you safe? You don’t feel pressured into it at all, do you?” 

Gwen quickly shook her head. “No. No, nothing like that.” She wiped at her eyes. “I just,” She struggled to find the words to explain. “I’m good at it. I’m good at what I do.” She explained. “And it makes people happy. I make people happy.” 

Tom nodded slowly. “Okay.” He said simply. “Okay.” 

Gwen nodded, wrapping her arms back around him. “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you.” 

“I wish you had.” He admitted. “But I understand why you didn’t.” His tone was so gentle, so encouraging. 

She sniffled, pulling away to look at Elyan. “What about you?” She asked weakly. “Are you disgusted with me?” 

Elyan slowly shook his head. “A little weirded out, maybe.” He admitted. “I don’t think anyone wants to know about their sister’s sex life.” He made a face. “But work is work, I guess. I’m not going to fault you for it.” 

“Thank you.” Gwen breathed. “Thank you.” 

“No need to thank me.” Elyan shrugged. 

Gwen smiled weakly. “I’m lucky to have such a good family.” 

“We’re lucky to have you.” Tom said kindly, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Is there anything else you’ve been keeping from us that you’d like to share?” He asked gently. “Like, we saw that friend of yours, Merlin, on the news as well.” 

Gwen sighed and nodded. “Merlin is also an escort.” She admitted. “So is his boyfriend, Gwaine.” She brushed her hair out of her eyes. “I’ve told you about both Lancelot and Morgana, but I didn’t tell you that I met both of them at work. They were clients.” She sighed. “And Morgana’s full name is Morgana Pendragon.” 

“Pendragon?” Elyan asked. “As in Arthur Pendragon? The guy whose scandal is the reason why the brothel was on the news?” 

Gwen nodded. “Yeah. Morgana is his sister.” She said. “I actually kinda know Arthur personally. He paid me to pretend to be his girlfriend for a while.” She laughed a bit to herself, recognizing how absurd the situation was. 

“What’s the deal with him?” Elyan asked. “Was he visiting the brothel or working there or what?” 

“I really shouldn’t say.” Gwen bit her lip. “I shouldn’t share a client’s information.” 

“Well, the brothel was shut down.” Elyan pointed out. “He’s not exactly a client anymore.” 

Gwen supposed that was true. “You can’t tell anyone, okay?” She looked between her father and brother. “This is important, private information.” 

“I won’t tell.” Elyan promised. 

“Me neither.” Tom assured. 

“Well, Arthur visited Camelot.” Gwen admitted. “He only went there for Merlin, though.” She twisted a strand of hair around her finger. 

“Merlin must be pretty impressive for someone as influential as Arthur Pendragon to risk his reputation for him.” Elyan whistled. 

“Yeah, well,” Gwen shrugged. “Now it doesn’t matter because Merlin is out of work just like the rest of us. His landlord is even evicting him and Gwaine.” 

“Why don’t they move in with Arthur?” Elyan suggested. “I mean, if Arthur cares about him that much, surely he won’t mind giving them a place to stay.” 

Gwen paused, thinking it over. “The problem with that is that it would basically confirm to the public that Arthur was sleeping with an escort.” 

“So?” Elyan crossed his arms. “Everyone basically already knows anyway. He might as well own up to it.” 

Gwen sighed. “I just don’t know if it’s that simple.” 

“Only one way to find out.” 

Gwen nodded. “I’ll suggest it.” She said. 

“Good.” Elyan nodded. 

“When was the last time you got out of bed?” Tom asked, looking her over. “You look a mess.” 

“I know.” Gwen blushed. “I just haven’t had the energy to do anything lately.”

“Well, all that’s gonna change.” He rose to his feet. “Come on. Shower and get dressed. We’re going somewhere.” 

“Where?” 

“Wherever the wind takes us.” Tom said. “You, me, Elyan, Lancelot, and Morgana. We’re going to have family time.” 

Gwen smiled a bit. “Yeah, okay.” She shakily stood up. “We can do that.” 

“Good.” Tom smiled. “And you’ll call your friend and suggest that they move in with that politician.” 

“Okay, okay.” Gwen put her hands up. “I’ll do that.” 

“Good. And Gwen?” 

“Yeah?” 

“I love you.” 

Gwen smiled. 

“I love you too.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me what you think and what you want to happen next!


	27. My Whole Life Too

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is,,bad. It's really bad. I'm not happy with it. I also don't know anything about anything, so most everything is bullshitted. I hope you enjoy anyway!

Freya didn’t like jail. It was cold and empty and lonely. She missed her friends, missed being in a comfortable home. She missed her life. She was just getting used to being a free woman and now she was in a cage again, only this time, it was a literal one. 

Isolde had been in jail with her for a while due to her resisting arrest during the raid on Camelot. But she was eventually released on bail, leaving Freya completely alone. She hugged her knees, leaning against the wall. She felt awful. She didn’t know what she would do if she was deported. She had no memory of where her family could be. They probably thought she was dead anyway. She would have absolutely nowhere to go if she was sent back to Sweden. 

She was awaiting an official announcement that she would be deported, at which point she would be sent to a detention facility until they actually sent her back to Sweden. At least, that was Freya’s understanding. She didn’t understand why she was being held in a jail cell when she had done nothing wrong. 

She was granted the right to make phone calls, but she didn’t have anyone to call. She thought of Morgana, but she didn’t want to bother her. There was likely nothing she could do to help anyway. 

Eventually, the loneliness grew to be overwhelming and she requested to be able to make a call. She was led to these lines of phones and she took the phone off of the hook. She hesitated as she considered who she should call. Eventually, she made her choice and dialed the number from memory. 

“Hello?” A familiar voice answered after a few rings. 

“Mordred?” Freya asked softly. “Hey.” 

There was a moment of silence. “Freya?” 

“Yeah, it’s me.” She confirmed. 

“Freya! Oh, thank God. I was so worried about you.” he said, his words coming out in a rush. “I saw that Camelot was raided on the news. I didn’t know what happened to you or if you were safe or-”

“I was on the news?” Freya asked, her heart sinking. So Mordred had seen her on the news and had found out that she used to work at Camelot. She bowed her head, ashamed. 

“Well, not you specifically.” Mordred said. “But Camelot was.” 

“Wait.” Freya frowned. “If I wasn’t on the news, then how did you know I worked at Camelot?” 

“We saw each other there.” Mordred reminded her. “I was with Magic and you knocked on the door.” 

“You remember that?” Freya was shocked. “You recognized me?” 

“Of course I did.” He said. “I didn’t say anything because you didn’t. It didn’t seem important.” 

“I don’t work there anymore.” She said quickly. “I stopped. Even before the raid. I was just there because,” She hesitated. “Well, it’s a long story.” She admitted. 

“I wouldn’t care even if you did work there.” Mordred said. “I don’t care where you work at all.”

“Oh.” Freya hadn’t expected that. She’d expected Mordred to be disgusted, to not want to talk to her anymore. “Thank you.” She said gently. 

“I mean it, Freya.” He said sincerely. “You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. Nothing could ever change that.”

Freya’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you.” She exhaled shakily. “I miss you.” She admitted. “I miss seeing you. I miss talking to you. I miss playing Dance Dance Revolution with you.”

“I miss you too.” He said kindly. “I miss you a lot. I hope you’re doing okay.” 

“I’m lonely.” She admitted. “Jail sucks.” 

“Can I visit you?” He asked. “Are you allowed visitors?” 

“I think so.” She said uncertainly. “I’m not a hundred percent sure, but I think so.” 

“Then I’ll visit.” He promised. “I’ll visit as soon as I can.” 

“Thank you.” She said softly. “I’d appreciate that.” She paused. “Will you tell me about your day?” She asked, just wanting to feel a sense of normalcy. 

“Oh, of course!” And he did. He told her about how he worked at a grocery store and he told her about his customers. He told her all about how he missed her and how he’d spent the last couple of days searching for her name in the news, with no luck. It was nice to hear him talk. 

Eventually, the guard told her that her time was up and she had to say goodbye, but she walked back to her cell smiling. 

It didn’t take long before a guard was telling her that she had a visitor. Expecting Mordred, she hurriedly allowed the guard to lead the way. But it wasn’t Mordred at all. 

It was Arthur Pendragon. 

He smiled politely at her and gestured for her to take a seat across from him. 

“Hello, Freya.” 

“How do you know my name?” She asked nervously, taking a seat. 

“You’re one of Merlin’s friends.” Arthur said simply. “Merlin lives with me now and he’s spoken a lot about you. He’s worried about you.” He paused. “Plus, you work at my company.” 

“Oh.” She said quietly, looking down. She hadn’t expected him to remember her. 

“I’m going to help you.” He told her. “I understand that you don’t want to be sent back to Sweden. Now, I might not be able to prevent that from happening, but I can probably help you come back and become a legal citizen.” He explained. 

“How?” She asked softly, looking up at him. 

He started explaining exactly how that would work, but she didn’t fully understand all of it. She just listened politely and nodded her head as if she comprehended his words. 

“But I could continue my life here?” She asked, searching Arthur’s face. 

Arthur nodded. “You could.” He confirmed. “You’d be able to keep working at my company. You’d be able to continue living with Morgana. Your life would stay the same.”

“I’d like that.” She said quietly. “I’d like that a lot.” 

“I think it would be good for you.” Arthur smiled. “I’ll be in touch.” He promised. “Just hang in there, okay?” 

Freya nodded. “Okay.” 

She just couldn’t wait to be free again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me your thoughts!


	28. Love Hurts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the most in-character chapter I've written.

Living with Arthur Pendragon wasn’t all fun and games. Merlin didn’t know what he had expected, maybe servants waiting on him hand and foot, maybe a castle, but it wasn’t this. Don’t get him wrong, Arthur still lived in an absolute mansion and if he wanted butlers or maids or whatever, he could certainly afford them. In fact, he’d hired his father’s old butler and cook following Uther’s death. 

But Arthur was a total slob. He didn’t clean up after himself in the least and Merlin found himself trailing behind the man, cleaning up his messes. He never did the dishes and seemed to just expect Mary (his cook) to clean up after him after meals. It was infuriating just how little respect Arthur had for others. 

Merlin had just about had enough of doing all of the chores that Arthur should have been doing for himself. He was in the process of washing some dishes as Gwaine dried them, ranting to his boyfriend about just how insufferable Arthur was.

“I can’t believe he makes us do this.” He complained. “He’s a grown man, certainly he can clean up after himself.”

“I mean, to be fair, he isn’t making  _ us  _ do anything.” Gwaine pointed out. “He expected Mary and George to do this, not us.” 

“That’s not any better!” Merlin exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air. “They shouldn’t have to clean up after him like he’s a child either!” 

“I know, I know.” Gwaine put his hands up. “I agree with you.” 

“Well, good.” Merlin huffed, shaking his head. 

“You’re the one who sleeps with him.” Gwaine pointed out.

“Not anymore.” Merlin’s face went red. “I haven’t slept with him since Camelot shut down. Why would I? It’s not like he’s playing me anymore.” 

“He would if you asked.” Gwaine smirked. “He likes you.”

“He likes my body. There’s a difference.”

“Well, I like both.” Gwaine purred, wrapping an arm around Merlin’s waist and pulling him closer. “You’ve got a wonderful body and personality.” He smirked, kissed his way down Merlin’s neck.

Merlin laughed and wriggled out of Gwaine’s grasp. “Gwaine, we need to finish the dishes. Then maybe we can play.” 

“I’ll hold you to that.” Gwaine grinned, continuing to dry the dishes. 

Merlin smiled, feeling just a bit better about this whole situation. 

That good mood didn’t last long, however. As Arthur just continued leaving his messes everywhere and Merlin was the one who cleaned them up. 

“Where is my shirt?” Arthur asked, staring at an empty chair. “It was right here. I draped it over this chair before I went to the gym.” 

“I put it in the wash.” Merlin said. 

“Well, what did you do that for?” Arthur exclaimed. “I needed that shirt!” 

“Then you shouldn’t have just left it on a chair!” Merlin argued. “That’s not where shirts go!” 

“It was where that shirt went!” Arthur insisted. “Don’t mess with my stuff!” 

“I wouldn’t have to mess with your stuff if you put things where they belong!” Merlin said. 

“That’s where it belonged!” Arthur protested. “Just because you don’t understand it doesn’t mean I don’t have a system!” He sounded distressed. 

Merlin rolled his eyes. “Make your system actually make sense and I’ll understand it.” He said, probably a bit too harshly. 

Arthur glared. "Whatever.” He muttered, rummaging through his closet for another shirt. 

Merlin rolled his eyes and shook his head, genuinely not understanding how Arthur could live like this. 

Gwaine was out that night, doing what, Merlin didn’t know. He trusted Gwaine not to get himself into too much trouble. The last thing Merlin wanted was for his boyfriend to get arrested again. That wouldn’t go well. 

Arthur was holed up in his home office, not coming out for anything and Merlin was bored. He stepped into Arthur’s office, watching him as he huddled over his desk. 

“You doing okay?” He asked gently, approaching him. 

Arthur looked up. “I’m fine.” He muttered, not sounding very fine at all. “It’s just,” He hesitated, as if debating with himself over if he should tell Merlin. “It’s just Freya’s whole situation is harder to deal with than I originally thought it would be.” He admitted. 

“Oh.” Merlin frowned. “You’ll still be able to help her, right?” 

“Yeah. I think so.” Arthur leaned back in his chair. “It just may take her longer to gain re-entrance into the country.” 

Merlin nodded. “I’m sure she appreciates your help, though.” He said. “I know I do.” 

Arthur smiled a bit at that. “I’m glad.” He wrapped his arms around Merlin’s waist and pulled him into his lap. Merlin let him. “I just wish that people like my father hadn’t made immigration so difficult.” He murmured. “My father and people like him really screwed things up.” He placed his chin on Merlin’s shoulder.

“And people like you will make things right again.” Merlin said kindly. “You’ll fix your father’s mistakes when you’re elected. I know you will.” 

“If I get elected.” Arthur pointed out. “And that’s a big if with my scandals.” 

Merlin shrugged. “There’s only the one real scandal, right?”

“When I come out, that will be another scandal.”    


Merlin stared at him. “You’re going to come out?” He was surprised. 

“I’ve been thinking about it.” Arthur admitted. “I don’t want to make a big deal about it. Maybe just start being a bit more open when people ask me about women.” He sighed. “I don’t want to live my whole life in the closet.” 

“I think that’s brave of you.” Merlin said. “I’m proud of you.”

Arthur blushed. “Thanks.” 

“Of course.” Merlin smiled, looking into Arthur’s eyes. He searched his face, feeling a twinge of  _ something.  _ He couldn’t name what it was, but it was something. Merlin leaned in just as the front door opened. Merlin jerked back and stood up, going out to greet Gwaine. 

“Where were you?” Merlin asked.

“Does it matter?” Gwaine raised an eyebrow. He took off his jacket and retrieved a pile of cash from his pocket. Merlin frowned. 

“Where did you get that?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Gwaine waved him off. “Money is money.”

That was when Merlin noticed the marks on Gwaine’s neck and his blood ran cold. “Were you selling on the streets?” He demanded. When he wasn’t met with an answer, his blood boiled. “Gwaine, we’ve talked about this. It’s too dangerous to do that. There’s no one protecting you.” 

“I’m fine.” Gwaine snapped. “We need the money.” 

“Not like this.” Merlin insisted. “It’s  _ dangerous.”  _

“It’s my body to risk.” Gwaine pointed out. “Not yours.” 

“No, but you’re my fucking boyfriend.” Merlin fought to keep his cool. “I’m allowed to be worried about you.” 

“Well, stop.” Gwaine snapped. “You don’t need to baby me like I’m some child.” 

“How is asking you not to put yourself at risk babying you?” Merlin demanded, raising his voice. “You need to be fucking careful, Gwaine.” 

“It’s my choice.” Gwaine said, his voice low. “You don’t get to tell me what I can and can’t do with my body.” 

“I’m just fucking worried about you! Do you know how many people get killed each year because they go home with some stranger?” 

“Oh, so it’s my fault if I get killed?” 

“That’s not what I said!” 

“It sure fucking sounded like it!” 

“Guys.” Merlin didn’t know when Arthur had appeared out of his office. “Stop it.” 

Merlin and Gwaine glared at each other for a long moment before Gwaine eventually broke the eye contact and stormed off. Merlin sighed, shaking his head. Why was Gwaine so offended by the idea that Merlin didn’t want him to get hurt? 

Arthur looked at him. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Merlin mumbled. “Gwaine’s just being stupid.” 

Arthur sighed. “I understand why you wouldn’t want-”

“You don’t understand shit.” Merlin snapped. “You have no idea what our lives are like. Don’t pretend like you do.” 

Arthur appeared taken aback. “I just meant-”

“I don’t care what you meant.” Merlin scowled. “You don’t know what it’s like. The people I’ve lost.” 

“Merlin-”

“Just don’t.” 

“But-”

Merlin wanted Arthur to shut up. Why wouldn’t he shut up? So Merlin did the only thing that he knew would shut Arthur up. He kissed him. 

Arthur’s eyes widened, but after a moment, he returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around Merlin. 

Merlin poured everything into the kiss, his frustration, his worry, his anger. He pressed himself to Arthur’s body, slipping a knee between the blond’s legs and pressing up against him. Arthur moaned into his mouth. 

Merlin eventually pulled away so he could drag Arthur towards his bedroom. This was a terrible idea, but Merlin didn’t care. He didn’t care at all. He pushed Arthur onto the bed and climbed over him, straddling his hips. “Fuck me.” He breathed out. “Come on.” 

“Wait. Merlin, wait.” Arthur put his hands against Merlin’s chest. “What is this?” He asked gently. “What are we?” He searched his face. “I’m not your client anymore.” 

“You can be.” Merlin said. “You can pay me directly.” He offered. “And we can continue as we were.” 

Arthur shook his head. “No. That’s not- That isn’t what I want.” 

“What do you want, then?” 

“I want you.” Arthur said gently. “I want all of you.” He ran his hands down Merlin’s sides. 

Merlin bit his lip, shaking his head. “I don’t know.” He said quietly. “I don’t know.” 

“That’s okay.” Arthur gently moved Merlin off of him. “You don’t have to decide right now. But I want this to be real.” 

Merlin sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ll think about it.” 

Merlin doubted he’d be able to think of much else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me your thoughts! How do you think Merlin and Arthur will end up together, if they do?


End file.
